3 talking points ahead of Arsenal vs Athletic Bilbao

Arsenal take on Athletic Bilbao in the Emirates Cup as they bring their pre-season campaign to a close on Saturday afternoon.

The Gunners suffered defeat in their previous game as they lost 3-2 at home to Bilbao's La Liga rivals Villarreal. A familiar face in the form of Nicolas Pepe gave the Yellow Submarine an early lead, which was doubled following the half-hour mark.

Christian Norgaard gave his side a lifeline with his first Arsenal goal, but a well-worked counterattack saw Arnaut Danjuma extend Villarreal's advantage back to two. Martin Odegaard converted a penalty won by Max Dowman late on, but that couldn't spur a comeback.

As Arsenal look to bounce back from their disappointing defeat against Villarreal, there are three key talking points ahead of their clash with Bilbao.

1. Ending with a win

Okay I know, pre-season means pretty much nothing nowadays, but that doesn't stop fans from talking. Arsenal have suffered defeat in their last two friendly outings, to Villarreal and Tottenham respectively, and that has raised some concerns among supporters.

The Gunners will be looking to challenge for the Premier League title once again and go one step further than they have over the past three seasons, but their preparations for the campaign haven't been up to the standards of a team hoping to do so. That will have to change against Bilbao.

With a tough opening day away to Manchester United to come, Arteta will be wanting his side to go into that game with full confidence. It is important for Arsenal to bounce back from their recent dip in form and grab a win on Saturday. Not only will that help them as they prepare for their testing first game, it'll spur them onto continue winning form throughout the season.

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