Arsenal vs Athletic Bilbao live: Viktor Gyokeres gets off the mark as the Gunners end pre-season with victory

That’s all she wrote for Arsenal’s pre-season! A mixed bag in all, but the time for preparation is almost over, with their Premier League opener against Manchester United just a week away.

Here’s a rundown of all of Arsenal’s pre-season results:

July 23: Arsenal 1-0 AC Milan

July 27: Arsenal 3-2 Newcastle United

July 31: Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur

August 6: Arsenal 2-3 Villarreal

August 9: Arsenal 3-0 Athletic Bilbao

The new Premier League season begins on 15 August, as the most popular domestic league in all of world football returns for the 2025/26 campaign.

Liverpool are looking to defend the title won last season, while Arsenal look to put three successive second-placed finishes behind them and Pep Guardiola hopes to blend a new-look Manchester City side into title winners again.

As the most popular league in the world, the Premier League is big business for betting sites, with UK bookmakers prioritising the competition and producing hundreds of outright and match markets.

Here’s everything you need to know:

The new season of the English top flight is fast approaching, and with that will come the long-awaited return of Fantasy Premier League.

As pre-season gives us a glimpse of potential top performers, many players will have already picked their squads for the opening gameweek of the 2025/26 campaign, though even at this stage, new signings and potential injuries might change things.

The usual suspects - your Erling Haalands and Mo Salahs of the world - will be among the most popular picks, with history dictating their unwavering ability to rack up points.

However, there are plenty of other players across the Premier League who might offer genuine value this season, from breakout stars to marquee new arrivals, with the potential of setting your team apart from the rest in your mini-league.

Here are 30 players we think might be solid additions to your FPL side:

Viktor Gyokeres is off the mark at Arsenal. Those leaving the Emirates will go home happy.

Arsenal’s players hold aloft the prestigious Emirates Cup to see out their pre-season.

Seeing how Audi Cup haunted Tottenham for so many years, the Gunners will hope that isn’t the last piece of silverware they win this season.

Mikel Arteta’s team are currently doing one last lap of honour, thanking the fans before delving into the proper campaign, which begins next weekend at Old Trafford.

Arsenal also won 6-5 on penalties, for some reason.

Arsenal beat Athletic Club in their final pre-season friendly with Mikel Arteta picking up momentum to inspire a Premier League title charge.

Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring with his first goal for the Gunners since his £64m move from Sporting, latching onto a wonderful cross from fellow newcomer Martin Zubimendi to power a header past Unai Simon and show a glimpse of what might be to come this season.

Then just two minutes later, the hosts doubled their lead. Martin Odegaard dinked one over the top for Gabriel Martinelli to control, and with Simon in no man’s land, he slipped it right to Bukayo Saka who could roll into an empty net.

While the tempo dropped after the restart, Kai Havertz fired in late to seal the victory and end pre-season on a high ahead of next Sunday’s league opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Zubimendi with a well-placed spot-kick to draw an end to that pointless exercise.

Muted celebrations would put it kindly, zero care from the Spaniard would be more accurate.

I do not understand the incessant need for pre-season shootouts, but I digress. Arsenal win.

Boiro... SAVED BY RAYA!

Time for Arsenal to end it... please.