2) Xhaka And Lokonga Need To Deliver
The absence of Thomas Partey means that Arteta is expected to pick Granit Xhaka alongside new summer signing Albert Sambi Lokonga for the season opener.
Mohamed Elneny could be an option but the Egyptian hasn’t looked impressive, while Lokonga seemed to gel pretty well with Xhaka in the pre-season defeat to Tottenham. If the two can strike up a good understanding in the first few games of the campaign, Partey’s absence won’t be so keenly felt.