Elias Burke has backed Arsenal to win against Coventry at the Emirates Stadium in Gameweek One, saying the champions look too strong to ignore as The Athletic launches season two of its Premier League Predictions series. The format has also been simplified for the new campaign, with result picks replacing exact scorelines for Gameweek One of 38.
Last year, The Athletic subscribers pipped six-year-old Wilfred to the trophy on the final day, while Oliver Kay finished third. In the World Cup version, the algorithm topped a five-team table, and with the competition now reset for another season, the opening call sets the tone for the weeks ahead. On Saturday, Wilfred was turning seven, but the first judgement of the new campaign is already in: Arsenal are expected to start with a home win.
Why Burke thinks Arsenal should be favourites
Burke said Arsenal looked so comfortable in the Community Shield that it seems slightly ludicrous to suggest they will not win here. That is the sort of verdict that fits the mood around a team expected to set the pace early in the season, especially when they are at the Emirates Stadium and facing opponents returning to the Premier League after a 25-year absence.
He also pointed to the strength of Arsenal's key players, with Martin Odegaard looking back to his best and Bukayo Saka seemingly refreshed after playing a bit-part role for England in the summer. Put together, that gives Arsenal an ominous feel before a ball is kicked in Gameweek One.
Coventry face a difficult first test
Coventry fans will travel in numbers down to the Emirates to support the group that brought them back to the Premier League after a 25-year absence, but Burke described Frank Lampard's side as facing a nightmare start against the champions. That does not mean Coventry will be overawed by the occasion, but it does underline the scale of the challenge in their first top-flight outing after such a long wait.
For the prediction series, the main change this season is simple enough to follow. Instead of trying to call every scoreline exactly, the experts are now making result picks, which should keep the focus on the broader football argument rather than a precise score.
What comes next in season two
The opening weekend is only Gameweek One of 38, so this first call is as much about setting the frame for the season as it is about one match. If Arsenal begin with the expected win, Burke's logic will look strong straight away. If Coventry can produce something unexpected, the early table in Premier League Predictions will already have a twist.
