3 big surprises for Arsenal when they return to an altered Premier League landscape

Life as you knew it is over; a new frontier awaits when Arsenal return from the international break next weekend.

Only two thirds of the break have passed and yet, already, the Premier League landscape is changing beyond all recognition. Up is down. Black is white. Those once thought ‘untouchable’ are set to face the full force of the law.

3 surprises waiting for Arsenal when they return to a much-changed Premier League landscape

Sp*rs are still bottom, though.

Football has passed through the looking glass and Arsenal must now find their way in this post-115-charges world. Here are three of the strange, new realities that might just be lurking when they get there.  

Surprise #1: Mikel Merino back up top

WILL SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?

Humanity could be staring an apocalypse in the eye and our best solutions would still circle back to ‘put Mikel Merino up top.’

Merino earned cult status for his striker work back in 2024/25 and may well reprise the role before long, with German forward Kai Havertz sustaining a hamstring injury while on Nations League duty against the Netherlands.

Of course, Viktor Gyokeres could have something to say about that. He appears to be out of favour with Mikel Arteta but he continues to thrive for Sweden and has already scored two goals for them during this international window.

One would think that an injury to Havertz is exactly where Gyokeres comes in. However, he has not impressed in Arsenal colours and cannot do the link-up work required of a Gunners striker. Merino can.

His striking comeback starts here.   

Surprise #2: Arsenal as Premier League leaders?

You might have heard that Manchester City have been found GUILTY of all 115 financial charges that the Premier League levelled against them?

They will appeal it but, if the verdict stands, then heavy punishment awaits. City could face all sorts of penalties – fines, stripped of titles, relegation, possibly even expulsion from the league – and one may expect them to be handed down this season, meaning Arsenal might effectively, if not literally, be PL leaders from this point on.

The Gunners were already title favourites, so the Man City verdict only puts them in an even stronger position to retain their crown. That is especially the case when you consider how their nearest rivals, such as Liverpool, are already off the pace and look suspect.

Maybe the Brighton loss is no big deal?  

Surprise #3: Arsenal are a model project

Arsenal and Manchester City wrestled for the title last year against a backdrop of labels like ‘cheats’, ‘Dark Arts’ and ‘PGMOL title winners’.

And no, it was remarkably NOT the team with 115 charges hanging over them who bore the brunt of it. You might remember how that pesky Arsenal Derangement Syndrome (ADS) was rampant at the time.

Rival fans and commentators held knives out for an Arsenal team built via smart recruitment, which operated within financial rules, and which required patience during tough times before it ultimately ascended from mid-table mediocrity to become title-winning material.

And they resisted Man City to do it.

Perhaps once the international break ends, a new PL will emerge from the apocalyptic wasteland and Arsenal will be lauded as a model club, one which is to be commended for its patience and financially sound means of rebuilding a squad in a world full of questionable practices.

Right? RIGHT?

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