Arsene Wenger: Arsenal can still win the Premier League this season

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Arsene Wenger believes his Arsenal team can still challenge for this season’s Premier League title, despite their disappointing transfer window and start to the season.

Arsenal have one win and two defeats so far, their last game being a 4-0 humiliation at Anfield, when neither of their two summer signings Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac was trusted to start.

In their three games Arsenal have conceded eight goals – only West Ham United have let in more – and all the positive energy gained by winning the FA Cup has been washed away already.

Bournemouth come to the Emirates on Saturday, and if Arsenal do not win then there will be mutiny from the home crowd again.

But against all of those concerns, Wenger remains as upbeat as ever about the chances of his team.

Wenger said at his Thursday morning press conference that he was still convinced his team would be challenging for the title this May. Manchester City and Manchester United, he suggested, are “not in a better position” than Arsenal.

When asked what gave him that faith, he said his team’s quality would tell in the end: “Why not? Because we have played three games, and two away games. OK, we lost at Liverpool but we can redress the situation very well and very quickly. Some teams who are the new favourites, they are not in a better position than us.”

Ivan Gazidis said this week that Arsenal’s squad is now stronger than it was before the opening of the window. Wenger did not quite go that far but he was bullish about his resources. “I think we are strong enough, yes,” he said. But are Arsenal stronger? “I think it depends on what period of the season,” he added. “We had contrasting periods of the season last year. We have to show that you can improve the team by being together and improving together. Last year we made 75 points, we won the FA Cup and this year we have to do better.”