Arsenal begin their new era under Unai Emery with the toughest assignment of facing record-breaking Premier League champions Manchester City. Even if the game is at home, when you face the best team in the country, venue doesn’t count at all.
Hence, the Gunners will need to be on their toes from the first whistle or Pep Guardiola’s men can steam-roll past them, just like last season. It will be interesting to see how Emery lines his team up for the game, knowing the fact that the defensive side of the game has to be right up there. There is a concern for the Gunners in left-back position, with Sead Kolasinac and Nacho Monreal out injured. So, Ainsley Maitland-Niles shoukd start and would be put to test against the likes of Riyad Mahrez and/or Bernardo Silva.
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation:4-3-3
Bernd Leno (GK)
A new recruit, the German should start ahead of Petr Cech in goal.
Hector Bellerin (RB)
Bellerin will offer attacking threat but he needs to check is forward movements because City counter-attack is really quick. He will be up against the pace of Leroy Sane, so good luck with that. However, the Spaniard is no slouch when it comes to foot-race. Sokratis Papastathopoulos (CB)
Bought from Dortmund this summer to enhance the quality of the back-line, Sokratis will need to adapt quickly to the intensity and pace of the Premier League.
Skhodran Mustafi (CB)
He has been a susceptible cog in the Arsenal defensive wheel, so the German needs to up his game, especially when facing the Champions.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (LB)
With Monreal and Kolasinac out, the youngster has to step up and perform well in order to be counted. It is his chance to claim the spot.
Lucas Torreira (CDM)
Torreira has been bought to add defensive security in the midfield. The Uruguayan will provide the base for attacking players to go ahead and create chances.
Granit Xhaka (LCM)
Xhaka struggled last season playing in a defensive midfield role, so he will happy to have Torreira alongside him this season. The Swiss can now move forward and pick a pass.
Aaron Ramsey (RCM)
Ramsey has resumed training and should feature. His freedom to move forward just got doubled with the arrival of Torreira. But the Welshman needs to make sure he covers the ground well against the likes of Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, etc.
Mesut Ozil (RW)
Ozil has retired from international football, so he has the freedom to play club football without any international pressure. We can see the best of him this season.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (LW)
Aubameyang is expected to fire goals for Arsenal this season, and with the kind of pre-season form he showed, one can witness magic from the former Dortmund striker.
Alexandre Lacazette (ST)
This is Lacazette’s second season at the Emirates stadium, so he needs to kick on and be the leader up front for the Gunners this season. 
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