Arsenal's start to the season may have surprised even the most optimistic and hopeful of Gunners supporters. Last season, Arsenal headed into the first international break rock-bottom of the Premier League. At the same stage this year, they are at the division's summit.
After narrowly missing out on a top four spot last season in agonising fashion, most fans outlined Champions League qualification as their main aim for this campaign. Top four still will be the primary objective for a large portion of Arsenal fans, but even some outsiders are feeling bullish about their title chances, with Brentford boss Thomas Frank expressing his view that the Gunners could win the league this season.
However, two of Arsene Wenger's old Arsenal favourites were feeling optimistic about the Gunners' Premier League chances this season before a ball was even kicked. Even after last season's late collapse which saw them let Champions League football slip from their grasp, Eduardo and Bacary Sagna were feeling optimistic about their former club.
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Eduardo, who scored 21 times in 69 appearances at Arsenal, told Ladbrokes in April: "Mikel deserves all the credit he gets. It’s very hard to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, but they’re right up there behind those two as one of the best sides in the division right now.
"Arsenal don’t spend a lot of money in comparison to those top teams, but they are building something special, step by step. I’m confident that Mikel Arteta – a fresh coach with new and exciting ideas – can replicate the success of 1998 and 2004 by turning this team into title winners in the next five years. I believe Arsenal can win the Premier League in the next five years."
Meanwhile, Eduardo's former team-mate Sagna predicted the Gunners to lift the league title in an even shorter timescale, saying in May: "There's clearly a process and fans need to trust the process and keep the faith.
"Write them off next season if you want, but I'm sure in two seasons time, they'll be topping the league as champions."
Eduardo and Sagna both made bold predictions that Arsenal would win the Premier League title by 2027 at the latest, and after seven games of the 2022/23 campaign, they are in pole position to do just that. There are still 31 games to go, and Arsenal remain third favourites with SkyBet to win the Premier League, but they are in a good position to fulfil Eduardo and Sagna's big prediction.
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