Matteo Guendouzi Feels Arsenal Can Win Premier League Crown This Season

Arsenal starlet Matteo Guendouzi has said Arsenal can defy the odds and win the Premier League this season despite being soundly bested at home to reigning champions Manchester City on Sunday.

The Gunners lost 2-0 to the title defenders at the Emirates Stadium and rarely looked like challenging, but Guendouzi remains hopeful of a winning first season under Unai Emery, per James Olley of the Evening Standard:

"Yes, I believe we can win it this season because of the players and staff we have. We truly believe and will do everything we can to win as many games as we can and to have a fantastic season. I truly believe we can do it.

"Man City are a top team but there are a lot of top teams in this division because the Premier League is the best league in Europe. There are plenty of others but we can be very positive and achieve good things this season. We can win titles because of the environment we have here and the quality of the players at our disposal."

Despite the disappointing loss in north London, Guendouzi impressed and was one of Arsenal's standout players in his English football debut.

Guendouzi's leadership qualities were on display against one of the best teams in Europe, per Squawka: 

The 19-year-old arrived from Lorient for £7 million this summer, and it was evident Emery took a shine to his new asset, who featured prominently in their pre-season.

The Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke elaborated on the seamless transition Guendouzi has made into the Arsenal setup thus far and why he's so well suited to the north Londoners:

But Arsenal need other stars to capture the same passion for winning that their teenage sensation has if they're to pull off a title-winning upset against the Premier League's powerhouses.

A team accommodating numerous new signings and a new manager would always find it difficult to beat a side like City on opening day. But at times it appeared that there was a certain fight lacking among Arsenal's players, which only seemed to worsen after they fell behind.

Lucas Torreira was signed from Sampdoria this summer and has been tipped as the player to bring some much-needed bite to their midfield, though the 5'6" terrier started Sunday's fixture on the bench.

Emery needs to employ the right tactics if he's to be seen as a successful heir to ArseneWenger, but Pep Guardiola summed up how the mental aspect and the willingness to battle is equally important, per journalist Layth Yousif:

The City boss has previously spoken highly of Emery, a three-time back-to-back UEFAEuropa League winner with Sevilla and 2017-18 Ligue 1 champion with Paris Saint-Germain, via Goal:

Some may argue Guendouzi needs a reality check after only arriving in England in July, while others will agree he can afford to dream in a league that was won by 5,000-1 shot Leicester City only two years ago.

The Arsenal youngster's passion has already landed him a surprise starting place under Emery, and perhaps the club could dream bigger if his team-mates shared his ambition in the title race.