Arsenal 4 Leicester 3 as it happened: Goals galore on breathless opening night of the Premier League season

Follow all the live action from the opening fixture of the Premier League

Danny Welbeck scored on the stroke of half-time to draw Arsenal level (Getty Images)

Opening day is always tense in the Premier League - and this will be no exception. Arsenal have only managed to win one league opener since 2011, and following a disappointing finish last season, Wenger will be hoping to dim early calls for his resignation by starting with a win.

Without Champions League football and with the Arsenal manager admitting the Europa League will play second fiddle to the Premier League, anything but a top-four finish will be inexcusable for Arsenal this season, so picking up the full three points will be vital.

On the other hand, Leicester will be hoping to build off their strong end to last season by putting in a solid performance against a tough opponent. A draw wouldn’t be too disappointing for them, especially against a top six club, but no doubt they will have their eyes on a top-half finish this season.

Manager Craig Shakespeare has already outlined his ambitions for the season, saying that just hitting the 40 point margin isn’t enough and that Leicester “have to aim higher.” So a win against Arsenal will be in the back of all the Leicester player’s minds.

The league opener will also be a big test for Leicester strikers Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki. With new signing Ihenacho likely to be on the bench after picking up a knock, and Islam Slimani not fully fit, Vardy and Okazaki will be vying to show their manager why they should spearhead Leicester’s campaign this season.

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What time does it start and where can I watch it?

Arsenal and Leicester kick off the 2017/18 Premier League season at 19:45 on Friday 11 August. You can watch the match on Sky Sports from 19:00 or catch the highlights on BBC One’s Match of the Day this Saturday at 22:30.

It’s a big game for…

Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare. It’s his first competitive game in charge since taking over full time in June and with key defenders Robert Huth and West Morgan both injured, as well as star striker Kelechi Iheanacho both not match fit, Shakespeare will have some big decisions to make when rotating his squad.

Iheanacho is expected to miss out due to injury (Getty)

Best stat…

1: The number of games Arsenal have won on opening day since 2010.

Remember when…

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez went in the book after receiving a throw in to the face from Leicester’s Christian Fuchs.

Player to watch…

Arsenal’s club-record signing Alexandre Lacazette will be the one to watch. The Frenchman, who bagged 28 for Lyon last season, will be hoping to make his first Premier League start on Friday. The £52m striker showed promise on Sunday in the Community Shield where he saw his shot ricochet off the post. He will no doubt be hoping to build on that this Friday.

Alexandre Lacazette is Arsenal's big-name summer signing (Getty)

Past three-meetings…

Arsenal 1 (Huth OG) Leicester 0, Premier League, April 2016

Arsenal 0 Leicester 0, Premier League, February 2016

Arsenal 2 (Walcott, Welbeck) Leicester 1 (Vardy), Premier League, February 2016

Form guide…

Arsenal: WWWWWW

Leicester: LWWLLD

Odds…

Arsenal to win: 21/50

Leicester to win:19/5

Draw: 6/1

(Odds provided by 888 Sport)

[11 August 2017 18:44 · Sam Dymond]

THE PREMIER LEAGUE IS BACK!

After two months and 21 days, top-flight English football is back with us...

[11 August 2017 18:48 · Sam Dymond]

The team news for the opening match of the 2017/18 Premier League season is with us...

...and Arsene Wenger had managed to find 18 players despite being blighted by injuries. With nine unavailable, summer signing Sead Kolasinac - an actual anagram of Laurent Koscielny - makes his first start for the club on the left of defence while £46.5m man Alexandre Lacazette plays up top. Mesut Ozil has shaken off an ankle concern and, at the back, goalkeeper Petr Cech captains the side.

For the visitors, Craig Shakespeare hands a first Leicester City start to former Hull centre-back Harry Maguire but another close season arrival, Kelechi Iheanacho, has to make do with a place on the bench. Riyad Mahrez - continuously linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium - makes the first XI. Midfielder Matty James is also set for a rare start; the Welsh midfielder has been so hampered by injuries in recent seasons that he wouldn't look out of place in the home dressing room. 

Arsenal: Cech, Holding, Monreal, Kolasinac, Bellerin, Elneny, Xhaka, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Welbeck, Lacazette

Subs: Ospina, Mustafi, Coquelin, Ramsey, Iwobi, Walcott, Giroud

Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy

Subs: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, King, Gray, Slimani, Iheanacho

Referee: Mike Dean

Kolasinac: a simple swap for Koscielny.

[11 August 2017 19:15 · Sam Dymond]

Without his headwear, I struggled to immediately recognise Petr Cech and, for a moment, thought Arsene Wenger had handed the captain's armband to that bloke from Franz Ferdinand.

[11 August 2017 19:27 · Sam Dymond]

Matty James' last Premier League start for Leicester came 825 days ago in a 2-0 home win against Southampton. The midfielder has been cruelly hampered by serious injuries since that May 2015 afternoon.

Welcome back to the Leicester City team, Matty. You haven't really missed much in the two years since.

[11 August 2017 19:30 · Sam Dymond]

How are you feeling about the new season, Arsenal fans?

Ah.

[11 August 2017 19:39 · Sam Dymond]

Kick-off is fast approaching at the Emirates Stadium. Take your seats, the Premier League is back!

[11 August 2017 19:43 · Sam Dymond]

The Emirates Stadium awaits and expects. Or should I say, those who are inside the ground await and expect. The stadium itself is littered with an array of empty red seats. Well, you try getting across London in rush hour on a Friday night.

[11 August 2017 19:45 · Sam Dymond]

The supporters might not all be here yet, but thankfully the players are. The two teams emerge from the tunnel to rapturous applause. It's time to hope. It's time to dream. A new season of Premier League football is about to begin.

[11 August 2017 19:46 · Sam Dymond]

KICK-OFF: Alexandre Lacazette gets 2017/18 up, up and underway. The French striker begins matters in earnest with a one-man kick-off signalled by the man we've missed all summer: Mr Mike Dean.

[11 August 2017 19:47 · Sam Dymond]

2 mins: GOAL! ARSENAL 1 LEICESTER 0:

What a start for Alexandre Lacazette! What a start to the Premier League season! Less than two minutes on the clock and Arsenal's new multi-million pound striker has his first goal in English football! Danny Welbeck showed off some trickery on the halfway line, only to be brought to ground by a combination of Wes Morgan and Wilfred Ndidi. From the resulting free-kick, Mohamed Elneny curled a smart cross into the area where a flashing header from the new Gunners forward beat Kasper Schmeichel's dive at the far post.