Arsene Wenger believes it could be “easier” to win the title this season, despite the talk of it being the toughest Premier League ever campaign.
The Arsenal boss reckons “eight or nine” teams will be realistic challengers for this year’s crown.
And Wenger claims that big number of challengers increases the chances of points being dropped at the top of the table and reduces the likelihood of one team running away with the league.
He said: “Never before (have eight or nine teams been contenders). But that can make it easier as well because it means that everyone can drop points.
"There can not be just one team that just walks away and nobody can catch. The hope will be alive for everyone in the Premier League longer than ever. On that front, if you are consistent it could be easier.”
Wenger’s suggestion is unlikely to reduce the expectation on him to end Arsenal’s title drought this season. They were last crowned champions in 2004 and Wenger accepts the pressure on him will increase the longer Arsenal’s wait to win the league goes on.
He said: “Of course, because we haven’t won the Premier League for a while and fans want to win the Premier League
“Fans are demanding more than ever. That is normal, it is part of our business and I try every day to be better than I was before and to commit 100 per cent to what I do. That is all you can do. No matter how much is demanded of you, you can only give your best.”
Wenger has so spent £32m so far to improve his side, runners-up last season, adding midfielder Granit Xhaka and young defender Rob Holding from Bolton to his first-team squad.
But Arsenal’s outlay has been dwarfed by the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United who have splashed out around £300m between them.
Wenger insisted: “It’s not a financial competition, football is a performance competition.
“It is becoming that (a financial competition) more but the financial competition does not always reflect the Premier League table. We have to make sure that is the case. Leicester showed that last year.”
Wenger also hopes Arsenal’s stability will also be an advantage with United, City and Chelsea will all starting the season with new managers.
“That’s what we have to show, that our stability gives us an edge,” Wenger said. “Pep Guardiola has come in (at Manchester City), he’s a world class manager.
“Jose Mourinho has come in at Man United. Will that all click very quickly or will it take some time? We don’t know.
“Sometimes it can work marvellously well, sometimes it takes time. I hope it takes time and we can take advantage of the fact that we have stability.”
In pictures: Arsenal train ahead of Liverpool opener
Stability is one thing Arsenal will be missing in defence for Liverpool’s season-opening visit to the Emirates tomorrow.
They are down to the bare bones after injuries to centre-halves Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista.
Fellow stopper Laurent Koscielny also has “no chance” of even making the bench having only returned to training last week after the Euros with France.
Wenger will instead be forced to field a makeshift centre-back of either Calum Chambers or Holding, who has never played in the Premier League, alongside Nacho Monreal against Jurgen Klopp’s men.
Wenger said: “I have a few options that we have seen in pre-season. That is the players we have available at the moment, who are quite young but have a great desire to do well.”