The new Premier League season kicks off with Arsenal welcoming Coventry City to the Emirates Stadium later today.

The Gunners ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title last season, and have started the new campaign with a statement 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Coventry, meanwhile, stormed to the Championship title last season, but last won their first league match of a season back in 2021/22 (D2, L2).

The fact that Arsenal also have an all-time competition record 45-match unbeaten home run against newly promoted teams (W40, D5) underlines just how likely this is to be a historic season opener.

Arsenal begin their Premier League title defence as heavy favourites against new boys Coventry City at Emirates Stadium on Friday.

The Gunners have already started like they mean to go on, putting in a brilliant performance in the Community Shield last weekend as they thrashed Manchester City 3-0.

Arsenal are overwhelming favourites to go back-to-back, and the manner of their demolition of Manchester City in last weekend’s Community Shield solidified the suspicion that it’s going to take something very special to stop them.

Coventry, meanwhile, won last season’s Championship with 95 points, finishing 11 points ahead of second-placed Ipswich Town at the end of what was an excellent campaign.

However, they couldn’t have asked for a tougher start to the season as they return to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years, the longest-standing gap in the history of the Premier League.

Even Conventry, boss Frank Lampard has conceded that there is “no harder place to go” than Arsenal but says his side are relishing the opportunity to cause a seismic shock on the opening night of the new season.

Arsenal and Coventry have met each other once before on the opening matchday of a season, back in that aforementioned 1993-94 campaign. Mick Quinn scored a hat-trick as Coventry ran out 3-0 victors over the Gunners at Highbury.

Mikel Arteta lost his first managerial meeting with Frank Lampard in what was his first home game as Arsenal boss back in December 2019 (a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea).

Since then, Arteta is unbeaten in all five games against Lampard in all competitions, winning the last four (D1).

United attempted to sign Cameroon international, Baleba near deadline day last summer but were put off by Brighton’s valuation, which was in excess of £100m.

However, the price has reduced significantly and after failing in their pursuit of Matheus Fernandes earlier this summer, United have decided to revisit Baleba.

Their initial £60m offer is below Brighton’s valuation, but talks are continuing.

The Red Devils have already signed midfielders Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48m and Youri Tielemans, who joined from Aston Villa in July for £35m.

Mason Mount did excel alongside Santos in the first three games of pre-season, but he has been struggling to overcome a foot problem he suffered against Paris St-Germain in Gothenburg on 8 August.

Baleba is expected to be out for another two to three weeks after suffering an ankle injury during a pre-season training camp in Austria.

Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton squad fly to Norway on Wednesday for Thursday’s Uefa Conference League play-off first-leg match with Tromso.

Baleba made 35 appearances for Brighton last season, picking up seven yellow cards as a defensive midfielder.

Man Utd need the 24-25 version of Baleba
On one side, it makes perfect sense. They tried to sign Baleba 12 months ago, so are fully aware of his abilities.

He is the kind of box-to-box player United do not have in their midfield despite the arrivals of Santos and Tielemans.

Baleba wants to make the move and the fee, whatever it ends up as, will be much less than the £100m they were quoted previously.

However, the reason the fee has gone down is the underwhelming form he showed for Brighton last season.

Thirty-one starts and three substitute appearances in the Premier League in 2024-25 became 23 starts and eight substitute appearances in 2025-26, highlighting a dip in form and value to Fabian Hurzeler in a campaign when Brighton secured European football for only the second time in their history.

There was a belief Baleba’s head had been turned by United’s interest, but Brighton sources last season said they didn’t think that was right.

With the transfer deadline approaching, Old Trafford chiefs have made their move.

Carrick must hope he gets the 2024-25 version.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has opened up on the club’s failed attempt to sign Rodri, revealing that the Spain international’s doubts about moving to the Santiago Bernabéu eventually created uncertainty within the Madrid camp.

Rodri, regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his generation, had emerged as a major target for Real Madrid after an outstanding spell at Manchester City.

However, despite reportedly holding advanced discussions with the Spanish giants, the 30-year-old ultimately opted to join Real Madrid’s biggest domestic rivals, Barcelona.

Mourinho was particularly direct when asked why Real Madrid’s pursuit of Rodri ultimately collapsed.

The Portuguese manager believes that representing Real Madrid requires an immediate commitment from a player, arguing that anyone who receives an offer from the club should already know their answer.

“Real Madrid cannot have players who think twice,” Mourinho said.

He explained the mentality he believes a player should have when allowed to join the Spanish giants.

He added, “You get the call and say: ‘When do you want me there?’”

Mourinho stressed that Real Madrid’s stature creates a different set of expectations for potential signings.

“Rodri is an extraordinary player, but Real Madrid is a different dimension,” he explained.

Mourinho also revealed that he had personally spoken with Rodri on several occasions during the process.

He added, “I personally spoke to Rodri a couple of times. Real Madrid made him an important proposal. But then… Rodri had doubts. His doubts created doubts in me about signing him.”