LONDON, Sept 9: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger needs his batch of new signings to make an immediate impact in Saturday’s home match against promoted Swansea if the team are to get their faltering Premier League campaign back on course.

Wenger was stung into action in the final few days of the summer transfer window after Arsenal picked up just one point from their first three games, with their most recent result an embarrassing 8-2 defeat at Manchester United.

A frantic trolley dash saw the French coach bring in five players — defenders Per Mertesacker and Andre Santos, midfielders Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta and striker Park Chu-young — and all five are in contention to start this weekend.

Arsenal, who last won a major trophy in 2005, are already eight points behind leaders United and Manchester City, with many pundits writing off the team’s title chances.

“It is early stages,” said Arteta, the Spanish playmaker who joined from Everton for a reported fee of 10 million pounds ($16 million) — effectively as a replacement for the departed Cesc Fabregas. “We want to start winning on Saturday and get that right. From then hopefully everything is going to be more positive.

“This club has to be there with them [the title contenders] fighting until the very end, that’s for sure. Nobody can be happy saying they are too good or have spent more money. We have unbelievable talent here and if we can use it the right way, I am sure we can fight with them.”

The Premier League resumes after a two-week break for international fixtures, giving teams a first opportunity to select players signed late in the transfer window.—AP