Pressure mounts on ex-Rangers star after Premier League disappointment

The pressure has already begun to mount on former Rangers star Mikel Arteta as his Arsenal side fall to a Premier League opening day defeat to newly-promoted Brentford.

The Gunners and the Bees kicked off the English top-flight season but whilst Arsenal were clear favourites going into the match, it was Brentford who had a sting in their tail at the Brentford Community Stadium.

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Sergio Canos and Christian Norgaard secured the victory for Thomas Frank’s side as they got off to the perfect start in the Premier League and heaped the pressure on the ex-Rangers star.

Former Arsenal midfielder Arteta is in his first job in management and is under pressure to improve on an eighth-place finish last season.

The Gunners stuttered across the campaign but finished the season strongly, a run of five straight Premier League wins offering Arteta another chance.

But after an opening day defeat to Brentford, Arsenal fan patience is already beginning to wear thin as the likeable Spaniard prepares for the biggest test of his management career.

An understudy to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, the ex-Barcelona, Everton and Real Sociedad player is amongst the most highly-rated young coaches in the game.

Arteta came up against Rangers in pre-season too, as his side earned a 2-2 draw with Steven Gerrard’s side on the former Ibrox star’s return to the stadium.

It was a moment that Arteta certainly enjoyed as he talked up his return to the ground where he made he first made his name in British football after a £6 move from Barca in 2002.