LONDON: Mikel Arteta says he has taken Arsenal to new heights ahead of today's Premier League kick-off.
Arteta knew qualification for the Europa League was enough after his side were overtaken by Spurs for fourth place in the competition in the final week of last season.
Arsenal have been boosted by former Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus (centre) this season. - AGENCY PHOTOS
He now believes Arsenal are on the right track after spending £120 million in the summer to bring in players including Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
"I'm sure we're ready to go to the next level. It's clear what the team is doing above us. “They already have a stronger squad than us and some of them have brought in six or seven players. "So it's not easy for us and we can only focus on our performance because we can't do everything at once. "But we believe we can do it and we are all looking forward to the new season.
“We got the results we wanted before the season but now we face Premier League opposition. "We played with energy and wanted to succeed this season and now we have to prove it on the pitch against Palace," said Arteta.
Arsenal's progress has also been acknowledged by Palace manager Patrick Vieira, who believes his former side can bounce back and become champions. "They have a team that is capable of fighting for the championship. It will be different compared to last year. Look at the players they have brought in, they are stronger," Vieira said. - AGENCIES
