Arsène Wenger believes Arsenal will relish the season ahead without the previous pressure of potentially missing out on a top-four place in the Premier League, saying his side are able to handle the expectation of a title challenge.

Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League group stage in each of the past 18 seasons and start the new domestic campaign on the back of a productive off-season where the only real negative has been a foot injury sustained by Jack Wilshere, who is expected to be out for a month.

A victory over the champions Chelsea in the Community Shield has fuelled optimism that Arsenal are ready to challenge José Mourinho’s side for the title. Wenger is targeting an improvement from last season’s third-placed finish, and dismissed suggestions that the pressure is greater now that expectations are higher.

“No, we had much more pressure before when I knew I had at least to be in the top four and we did not necessarily have the potential to do it,” said Wenger. “The pressure is really on you when you know you are just on the border of achieving what is absolutely requested. When you know you cannot miss an inch or you are out. That is much more difficult.

“I believe we are able to handle it and we want to handle it. We can talk and talk about it but in football you have to accept that you can win, draw or lose. What you expect is that you give your best in every single game and we are determined to do that. The other thing we don’t know is how good our opponents will be.

“I’m ready for a fight and of course motivated to start well. One of our targets is to start strong. We had a good preparation and that should give us confidence. The Premier League is a fight in every single game so we have to prepare ourselves mentally for that and, of course, come out of the blocks straight away.”

Arsenal play West Ham at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, with Slaven Bilic’s side having already endured a busy summer because of their ultimately unsuccessful Europa League qualifying commitments. Alexis Sánchez will almost certainly play no part for the home side as he builds his fitness following the Copa América.

Wenger has not ruled out a further addition in the transfer market, with the striker Karim Benzema linked with a move to north London. Meanwhile Serge Gnabry has joined West Bromwich Albion on loan, and Wilshere’s hairline crack to his fibula sustained in training is likely to rule him out for four weeks.

“His is just a joint injury,” said Wenger of the England midfielder. “You have little holes in your bone where the screw is taken out. They took the screws out at the end of the season and I think these holes are not completely healed and they create a little weakness.

“Jack is a born football brain. He has a creative brain. He has no handbrake. But that tells him to provoke in the final third, that’s where he creates all his chances.”