With an unusual start time and date, we entertain Leicester City on Friday night at The Emirates as the season gets underway. Like last season, it seems like the squad is woefully short, and could find ourselves struggling to get off to a good start.

Last season we faced Liverpool at home in a game we lost 4-3 due to lack of preparation, and players being short of fitness, and this season could well end up being a carbon copy.

Arsene Wenger announced in today’s press conference, that we will definitely be without Alexis Sanchez who has an ‘abdominal injury’, and that there are doubts over Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil, who both missed the Community Shield win over Chelsea.

Laurent Koscielny is suspended after his red card in the last game of last season against Everton. Per Mertesacker is also a doubt after picking up a facial injury from yet another innocent clattering against Chelsea, his face clearly didn’t want it as much as Cahill’s elbow. Shkodran Mustafi could also miss the game as he played and won the Confederations Cup, while Gabriel and Francis Coquelin are also going to be missing due to injury.

Despite missing our best players in Ozil, Sanchez and Koscielny, you’d have thought we’d still have too much for Leicester.

ArsenalShorts prediction, a cagey, but comfortable-in-the-end 3-1 win (after going behind of course).