Arteta welcomes Premier League coaching overhaul as Arsenal target another step forward

Mikel Arteta believes the arrival of Enzo Maresca and eight other new managers in the Premier League can push Arsenal to improve as they pursue another successful campaign.

Arteta and Maresca will meet for the first time since the Italian replaced Pep Guardiola at Manchester City when Arsenal face the champions in the Community Shield in Cardiff on Sunday.

The Arsenal manager backed former Chelsea boss Maresca to do an “amazing job” at Manchester City, with the club among nine Premier League sides to begin the season under new management.

The lack of managerial continuity across the division has contributed to the widespread view that Arsenal are favourites to retain the Premier League title. Arteta, however, was keen to avoid placing too much emphasis on Maresca during his news conference on Friday.

Xabi Alonso is also part of the new group of Premier League managers, while Arteta is yet to face Roberto De Zerbi since the Italian took charge of Tottenham in March.

“Well, the competition is going to be with a lot of managers as well, not only Maresca, and some new managers that have joined the league that are exceptional as well,” said Arteta.

“We know that this league has some of the best coaches. It’s extremely difficult every week to prepare for the games against them. That is going to raise our level and certainly my level, and we will try to be better.”

Arteta said the league’s clubs would present different challenges, depending on their recent achievements, squads and spending power.

“Every club has their strengths,” he added. “Some clubs because of what they have achieved, winning a lot of games in the last 10 years, some clubs because of their squads, some clubs because of the money they have spent.”

“We know our strengths, and they are related to what we have done over the last four or five years in a very consistent way, but we can also be better, and that’s what we are focusing on, to maintain that consistency.”

He also rejected the idea that Arsenal should simply be satisfied with maintaining their current level.

“I’ve called it stability, but I don’t want to be stable, I want to be better and more ambitious. That’s what we want,” said Arteta.

Rice and Saka decisions

Arteta will make a late decision on whether Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are fit enough to feature against Manchester City.

The England internationals returned to training this week after a demanding World Cup campaign, which followed a successful but challenging 2025-2026 season in which both players had to manage physical problems.

Summer signings Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis are preparing to make their competitive Arsenal debuts against a Manchester City side that won two of the three meetings between the clubs last season. One of those victories came in the League Cup final at Wembley.

Asked whether Manchester City would remain Arsenal’s biggest title rival despite Guardiola’s departure, Arteta said there would be several contenders.

“There are going to be a lot of competitors,” he said.

“When you look at the squads, the managers and the clubs they belong to, we know that.”

Arteta said Arsenal’s priority was to maximise the resources available to them rather than focus on the identity of their individual rivals.

“We need to focus on ourselves and make sure that we get the maximum out of all the resources that we have to give ourselves the best possible chance,” he said.

“Then, day by day, it’s going to be a very long journey.”