LONDON, Aug. 13 -- Although it is still very early days in the 2018-19 season, the first weekend of Premier League fixtures has given football fans a taste of what they can expect over the coming months, and there are signs that what happened last season could well be repeated this time round.

Manchester City kicked off their defense of a title they won by 19 points last season with a comfortable 2-0 win away to Arsenal, in a game where Pep Guardiola's side, despite having players such as Kevin de Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane on the bench, appeared to play by memory. Raheem Sterling, who opened the scoring, belied the lack of confidence he sometimes shows with England, and new arrival Riyad Mahrez slotted into the side with ease.

Aymeric Laporte, who arrived in January, looked assured in central defense, while the display of Benjamin Mendy, who missed most of last season through injury, hints that he will have much to offer over the coming months.

Unai Emery had a disappointing debut as Arsenal head coach, with his side doing little to suggest that they can mount a title challenge in the first season following the end of Arsene Wenger's 22-year reign.

In fairness to the Spaniard, he can only work with what he has, and a look at the Arsenal squad shows that many of Emery's problems this season stem from the stagnation at the club during the twilight years of Wenger's time in charge, suggesting that Emery will do well to lift them into the top four.

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