Premier League 2022-23 preview No 1: Arsenal

Guardian writers’ predicted position 5th (NB: this is not necessarily Nick Ames’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)

Last season’s position 5th

Odds to win the league (via Oddschecker) 66-1

Last season, Arsenal promised so much before falling away in a manner that stung. Fifth place constituted significant progress but they should have held on to a top-four spot: a lack of depth, and arguably genuine quality, in key positions was an obvious reason and Mikel Arteta has spent his summer attempting to correct it. His efforts have gained rich reward. While it cannot be denied that Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko were deemed expendable by Manchester City, spending around £75m for a pair of proven winners who are entering their peak years looks exceptional value in the current market. Jesus has been flying in pre-season and should add a directness to the centre-forward position that had long been lacking.

William Saliba’s return from an exceptional loan at Marseille gained fewer headlines but, assuming he sticks around after the transfer deadline, may yet prove crucial given the obvious gap between Ben White, Gabriel Magalhães and last season’s alternatives at centre-back. The Portuguese schemer Fábio Vieira, signed from Porto, is similarly viewed as a longer-term prospect but adds to Arteta’s creative options. There are likely to be more arrivals: if a viable wide alternative to Bukayo Saka can be secured, perhaps in tandem with a move out for Nicolas Pépé, Arsenal will finally look well covered in almost every position.

That could be enough to push them over the line, although with Chelsea and Spurs both making their own high-profile additions the competition will be no less intense. The Emirates is often