How the Top 6 are shaping up heading into the new Premier League season

Arsenal

Arsene Wenger still looking to stop his counterparts

The departure from White Hart Lane to a new stadium, for Tottenham, might irk commentary from their North London counterparts Arsenal. The Gunners who tasted incredible success through their 'Invincibles' at Highbury at the turn of the new millennium, have been playing catch up since moving to the Emirates Stadium. One does not even need to look into the crystal ball for Arsenal's Premier League campaign with 'fourth place' being a foregone conclusion.

With even that inevitability mired as last season concluded, Arsene Wenger has the unenviable task of restoring remnants. Remnants from his past which he still finds hard to let go off as he continues to eye the future.

After signing a new contract over the summer, Wenger decided to finally splurge on an elusive number 9. In Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal have a pacy frontman who knows how to find the back of the net. Sead Kolišinac seems astute business considering Arsenal got him for free but their biggest test lies in trying to keep hold of Alexis Sanchez.

With no Champions League on offer, the Gunners are finding it even harder to keep hold of the Chilean who has refused to put pen on paper to a new contract. It always seems to be a case of one step forward and two steps back. Arsene Wenger has categorically stated that Sanchez will not leave but take that with a pinch of salt, especially if history is anything to go by.

Leicester's fairytale may provide merit to Wenger's debate that Arsenal may well challenge for the title but realistically it seems a more than daunting task.

Since the Viera days, Arsenal have struggled to instil a sense of purpose in the middle of the park. A dogged and robust 'Invincible' side quite often outmuscled teams even on days when they weren't their swashbuckling best. Today, a lot will be expected from Granit Xhaka who Arsenal will hope shall come into his own this season. If Arsenal can plug leaks in their defence, and keep hold of Sanchez, they may well be a force to reckon with. But consistency will again be key for the likes of Ozil, Ramsey and co.