David Seaman warns Arsenal over surprise Premier League title challengers

Defending champions Arsenal look every bit the powerhouse as they eye back-to-back Premier League titles, having dispatched Coventry with ease on the opening weekend at the Emirates. While Man City have traditionally been the primary obstacles, Seaman has thrown a curveball by suggesting Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool could be the team to watch. The Arsenal icon admitted he has been left underwhelmed by other rivals in the early stages of the new campaign.

Speaking about the competitive landscape, the legendary former goalkeeper told Metro: "We’ve not seen Liverpool yet with their new manager and their new signings. I did think Man United were going to be a lot better than what I’ve seen today so that’s been disappointing. The City result against Arsenal in the Community Shield that really disappointed me, so that threw me a little bit.

"So I’m looking at Liverpool, I still think City will be strong, but I’m going for Liverpool. We’re waiting to see what sort of system he plays. I just think Liverpool have got a bit more quality and quality in depth that will see them, hopefully, get second."

Liverpool have entered a period of transition following the departure of Arne Slot, appointing former Bournemouth boss Iraola to lead the charge. While the Reds have been relatively quiet in terms of sheer volume in the transfer market, they have focused on surgical reinforcements for their backline with the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet and Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo.

Further forward, Victor Munoz has joined the ranks to bolster an attack that is also eyeing potential deals for Paris Saint-Germain duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahima Mbaye. Iraola faces a significant challenge in his first season, particularly with the departure of Mohamed Salah leaving a massive void in the final third.

Central to Liverpool’s hopes is Swedish striker Alexander Isak, who is under pressure to deliver a consistent goal return after an injury-plagued debut season at Anfield. With Hugo Ekitike currently sidelined following Achilles surgery, Isak is the only senior centre-forward available to Iraola. The manager is focused on evolving Isak’s game beyond just finishing, wanting the former Newcastle man to become a more complete focal point for the team’s attacking patterns.

Iraola is clearly encouraged by the striker's fitness, noting: "Alex is going to be a very important player for us this season. Right now he is in a very good place; he has been training every day, he has not missed a session, he has been adding more and more minutes every friendly game."

With Arsenal already setting a relentless pace, Iraola will be desperate for his star man to hit the ground running and spearhead this new era on Merseyside, which officially gets under way with a tantalising opening-weekend trip to Isak's former club, Newcastle United.