• More: Richard Jolly's predictions | Fixtures in UAE time
The National's sports team is counting down the days until defending champions Leicester City take on newly promoted Hull City in the opening fixture of the 2016/17 English Premier League season by looking at one team a day. Today, Arsenal.
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Arsene Wenger enters his 21st and potentially last season in charge of Arsenal, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2017.
Arsenal did what Arsenal always do last season and finished with a flourish, pipping their North London rivals Tottenham to second spot, continuing their two-decade long hex of finishing above their rivals. But that masks a season of discontent among large sections of the Arsenal faithful, who in one unsavoury game turned on their manager, holding placards intimating that trust had been lost in Wenger’s ways, although, in fairness, they were soon drowned out by support for the Frenchman.
The defence is still an ongoing concern and Petr Cech has not provided the assurance in goal that many had hoped. Granit Xhaka offers gumption and guile, but keeping Alexis Sanchez fit for the majority of the season will be key to Arsenal’s hopes.
You get the sense another top-four finish will not be enough to placate the growing army of dissenters who long for another league title.
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Previously
• Hull City: Promoted club had unstable summer
• Middlesbrough: Hopes lie largely in Spaniards
• Burnley: Third time the charm?
• Sunderland: Moyes the make-or-break factor in survival hopes
• Bournemouth: Well placed to avoid 'second season syndrome'
• Crystal Palace: Time to deliver on all that talent
• West Bromwich Albion: Another season of mid-table mediocrity
• Watford: Early fixtures will set the tone – for better or worse
• Swansea City: Swans need a striker, and stability
• Everton: In good hands with Koeman
• Chelsea: Hazard key to turnaround year
• Stoke City: Defensive stability is essential
• Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp era begins in earnest
• West Ham United: New home, with new expectations
• Southampton: Puel in for baptism by fire
• Manchester United: Reloaded, ready to challenge for title
• Manchester City: Champions League title still the goal
• Tottenham Hotspur: Harry Kane needs some help with scorer's load
Still to come
• Tomorrow: Leicester City
• Saturday: Premier League season begins
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