Arsenal ready to open title defence in style

Arsenal have another record in their sights when Arsene Wenger's Double winners open their title defence against newly-promoted Birmingham City.

A week after picking up their third trophy this year with Sunday's convincing 1-0 Community Shield victory over Liverpool at Cardiff, Arsenal host the Midlanders in what should be a comfortable victory this Sunday.

Arsenal have not lost at home to Birmingham since 1957 and even the absence of two of their most influential players last season, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg, who are both on the long-term injured list, should not hinder their task.

Sunday's display at the Millennium Stadium showed that the neat passing game and the desire for victory that marked out their previous campaign had not been dimmed by a summer holiday.

"I have said that this team is hungry and wants more success, and you saw evidence of that in Cardiff," Wenger wrote in his column on the Arsenal website this week.

Dennis Bergkamp and France's Thierry Henry, the premier league's top scorer last season, both looked sharp, while new Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva showed his ability to fit in by smacking home a match-winner from the Dutchman's pass.

Captain Patrick Vieira, who has taken over from the retired Tony Adams, will be available after shrugging off the effects of a rash challenge from Liverpool's England midfielder Steven Gerrard last weekend.

This Sunday, Arsenal stand to set their latest footballing record after last season becoming the first premier league club ever to score in every game and remaining unbeaten away from home.

Currently level with arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Preston North End and Sunderland on 13 consecutive victories, a 14th on Sunday would set a new record for the top-flight of the English game since it began in 1888.

Achieving it is clearly within the power of a squad who have not lost in the league since December of last year, when they went down 3-1 to Newcastle United.

Birmingham make their return to the top flight without new Welsh midfield signing Robbie Savage through suspension, but with a new striker on show in ex-Crystal Palace hitman Clinton Morrison.

American midfielder Jovan Kirovski may also turn out after the club won an appeal for a work permit.