Al Hilal are setting the pace in the Saudi Pro League with a perfect record, and the arrival of Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal has given the squad fresh depth and excitement heading into a demanding stretch of fixtures. The Brazilian winger completed a £60 million move after being dropped from Arsenal's plans for the new season, and his farewell message to the club drew attention for conspicuously omitting any mention of manager Mikel Arteta, hinting at a difficult exit. For Al Hilal, though, the signing represents a genuine attacking addition to a side already firing on all cylinders.

On the pitch, Simone Inzaghi's side have been dominant. A 2-0 win at Al Shabab in the Riyadh derby extended their unbeaten run and kept them clear at the top of the table with 15 points from five matches. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves scored to seal the result, and the team's goal difference of plus 14 underlines how convincingly they have performed. Al Nassr sit second on 12 points, meaning the gap is already meaningful this early in the campaign.

Squad news carries a note of caution. Reports indicate that Theo Hernandez and Ali Lajami are both unavailable, which could test Inzaghi's defensive options. Meanwhile, Karim Benzema's contract was terminated by mutual consent earlier in the summer after just six months, and his future remains unresolved. The next test comes Monday against Neom SC at Kingdom Arena, a match Al Hilal will expect to win as they look to maintain their early dominance.