For the first time in 22 years, Arsenal head into a new Premier League season as defending champions. Retaining the title is the objective for Mikel Arteta’s men this term, but Arsenal will have a target on their backs and must try to conquer the fact that they have not successfully defended the championship since the 1930s.The latest Arsenal odds nevertheless have Arteta’s team down as favourites to finish top. There are other ways to bet on the Gunners too: there are Arsenal betting odds for numerous different markets, many of which we explore in this article. Odds on Arsenal to win the leagueHeading into the new season, here is the lay of the Premier League land according to the bookies:Arsenal – 6/4 with BOYLE SportsMan City – 11/4 with bet365Liverpool – 6/1 with BetwayMan Utd – 13/2 with BetMGMChelsea – 8/1 with BetVictor*Odds correct as of 17th August, and are subject to change.Having finished as runners-up in each of the three previous seasons, Arsenal finally got over the line in the Premier League title race in 2025/26. There were a few nervous moments along the way, but in the end Mikel Arteta’s charges finished seven points clear of Manchester City. Their success was built on a rock-solid defence, with Arsenal conceding the fewest goals and keeping the most clean sheets.Arsenal have not won back-to-back titles for almost a century, and the fact they are desperate to make up for last season’s defeat in the Champions League final could affect their Premier League campaign. But Arsenal’s squad is the strongest in the division and they showed last season that they are able to compete on multiple fronts.One positive for Arsenal is that all their title rivals are in transition to varying degrees. Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have all changed their managers in 2026, whereas Arteta is approaching his eighth anniversary at the Emirates Stadium.Having added to a title-winning team, Arsenal are viewed as the favourites to retain the Premier League ahead of the big kick-off, but this can change quickly once the season is underway. The picture could change if Arsenal start slowly, or if one of their rivals is quicker out of the blocks.In addition, BOYLE Sports are currently offering their customers – both new and existing – an outright offer for the Premier League whereby their pick for the title winner can score them £5 in free bets each time they win a league game in August or September! All you need to do is place a £20 bet on Arsenal to win the league (or any other team) before the season starts. How Arsenal can retain their Premier League crownThese are some of the factors that will determine whether or not this is a successful season for Arsenal. Arsenal’s current squad and managerArsenal won the Premier League title last season because they had the meanest defence in the division, and because they developed a knack for grinding out results and edging tight matches. They scored plenty of goals from set-pieces, with their routines often smart and inventive. There is a good amount of depth in virtually every part of the Arsenal squad. Keeping the likes of Declan Rice, David Raya and Gabriel Magalhaes fit will be important, but the Gunners showed last season that they can still pick up points when some key men are either out injured or off form. They also did a good job of sharing the goals around, with Viktor Gyokeres their top scorer with a relatively modest return of 14.Pep Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City means Mikel Arteta is now the longest-serving manager in the Premier League, so his continued presence in the dugout gives Arsenal an advantage over their fellow title competitors in terms of continuity and familiarity. Transfer activity – ins and outsKey ArrivalsKey DeparturesChristos TzolisClub Brugge£34mLeandro TrossardBesiktas£17mBruno GuimaraesNewcastle United£75mChristian NorgaardEverton£7mIslan MeslierLeeds UnitedFreeJakub KiwiorPorto£17.9mArsenal have, in effect, traded the 31-year-old Leandro Trossard for a younger model in Christos Tzolis, who will celebrate his 25th birthday in January. Bruno Guimaraes is an upgrade on Christian Norgaard and will be a regular starter in the centre of the park this season.Arsenal’s business does not appear to be done yet. Although Vinicius Junior will not be moving to north London, the Gunners are still on the lookout for another attacking player. Bradley Barcola is top of their wish list, but Liverpool are also interested in the Paris Saint-Germain forward. Key fixtures in the 2026/27 seasonArsenal have two massive matches in the first few weeks of the season, with a trip to Aston Villa scheduled six days before a home game against Chelsea. Arsenal will travel to Liverpool on 31st October, with their first meeting with Manchester City taking place at the end of November. On 5th December, we will see the first edition of the north London derby.The reverse fixture against Tottenham Hotspur will be held on 1st May, but 2027 brings away games against Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea. Arsenal’s run-in looks favourable on paper, featuring clashes with Leeds United (away), Nottingham Forest (home), Everton (away) and Brighton & Hove Albion (home).Arsenal odds in other outright marketsThere are several different outright markets offering odds on Arsenal, so there are plenty of options to bet on them outside of the Premier League title question. Arsenal trophy multiplesArsenal were a penalty shootout away from winning the Champions League as well as the Premier League last term. Mikel Arteta’s side will once again be targeting success on multiple fronts, but we do not see them quite getting over the line in Europe.However, retaining the title while winning a domestic cup would make for a successful season for Arsenal, who have the squad depth to triumph in more than one competition. Arteta could target the EFL Cup, which has the advantage of being done and dusted before the run-in. Back Arsenal to win the Premier League title and the EFL Cup at 5/1 with bet365 Top on Christmas DayArsenal were top of the table on Christmas Day last season before going on to win the title. In 18 out of 34 Premier League campaigns, the side that has occupied first place on 25th December has later been crowned champions.Arsenal will aim to hit the ground running at the beginning of the 2026/27 campaign, as they aim to show they are still the team to beat. However, after a gruelling season last time out and the first-ever 48-team World Cup, Arsenal may well be slower starters this term. Tip Arsenal to be top of the Premier League on Christmas Day at 11/4 with Betway Top London clubAs a result of winning the Premier League title in 2025/26, Arsenal were by default the top-performing London club. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming to unseat their present supremacy in the capital, but Arsenal are – for good reason – strong favourites in this market.The Premier League currently contains six teams from London, but none of Fulham, Brentford or Crystal Palace will be able to get close to Arsenal. Go for Arsenal to finish as the Premier League’s top London side at 4/11 with Betfred Top scorerErling Haaland is the obvious favourite to win the Golden Boot once again, but Arsenal will hope that one of their players can challenge for the award. Viktor Gyokeres was their chief goal-getter with 14 strikes, but no other Arsenal player found the back of the net more than seven times.Gyokeres is Arsenal’s best hope of supplying the division’s top scorer, although many will like the look of Bukayo Saka as a dark horse pick. Tip Bukayo Saka to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer at 80/1 with bet365 FAQs about Arsenal ahead of the 2026/27 season1. Who are Arsenal’s key players as they aim to retain the Premier League title?David Raya was the Premier League’s best goalkeeper in 2025/26 and he will be integral to Arsenal’s chances of another successful season. The same is true of William Saliba and Gabriel Maghalaes, who form the division’s strongest centre-back duo.Declan Rice is the heartbeat of the Arsenal side in midfield, where Martin Odegaard provides the creativity. Finally, Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s standout attacking player despite a mixed season last time out.2. Who are likely to be Arsenal’s main rivals for the Premier League and other domestic competitions?Manchester City finished as runners-up to Arsenal last term and they will probably be their biggest challengers once more in 2026/27. City have lost Pep Guardiola, but their squad is strong and Enzo Maresca is an astute replacement.Liverpool will hope to get closer to top spot under Andoni Iraola, while Manchester United made vast strides with Michael Carrick in the dugout in the second half of last season.3. When are the best times to lock in the best odds for Arsenal in the markets mentioned in this article?The odds on Arsenal to win the league will shift frequently throughout the season in response to on-field and off-field events. In terms of finding the best value, it could be worth waiting a few weeks before placing a bet on Arsenal to win the title.There are a couple of main reasons for that. The first is that Arsenal could be without some key players at the start of the season, namely Declan Rice, William Saliba and Bukayo Saka. Their early fixtures are not the easiest either: in their first five matches, Arsenal must face Aston Villa (away), Chelsea (home), Sunderland (away) and Brighton & Hove Albion (away).If Arsenal drop a few points in August and September, their title odds will lengthen and better value will be available to sports bettors.About the authorGreg LeaGreg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootballCommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. 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