Arsenal began their defence of the Premier League title in style as they cruised to a 3-0 win over newly promoted Coventry City.
The Gunners introduced their latest signing, centre-back Ezri Konsa, before kick-off following his move from Aston Villa, and their defence was barely tested in an encounter they dominated from start to finish.
Despite the absence of new signing Bruno Guimaraes, who reportedly faces weeks on the sidelines with an injury the midfielder sustained in the Community Shield, Arsenal had no difficulty consistently cutting apart their visitors, whose first game back in the top flight after 25 years away was always likely to be a struggle.
Any hope Frank Lampard’s Coventry had of a seismic upset was effectively extinguished inside 25 minutes after Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka put Arsenal 2-0 up.
Martin Odegaard’s scuffed finish made it 3-0 early in the second half, but there was saving grace for Coventry in that, despite further chances for the hosts, they prevented the scoreline from growing ever more emphatic.
Arsenal make flying start to title defence
Impressive summer recruit Christos Tzolis flashed an effort over the crossbar and Saka saw a close-range strike deflected wide before Arsenal’s early pressure inevitably told, Havertz coolly steering home from Riccardo Calafiori’s square pass.
Saka’s finish to double the advantage was simpler as he tapped in after Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth attempted to cut out a low cross from Tzolis, but instead only succeeded in palming the ball into the England winger’s path.
Loum Tchaouna attempted to produce a spectacular reply for Coventry with an overhead kick from the edge of the area that flew narrowly over the crossbar.
But there was otherwise very little to worry David Raya in the Arsenal goal, and the hosts would have gone into half-time 3-0 ahead had Declan Rice been more accurate with a curling long-range effort.
Arsenal only had to wait four minutes into the second half for the game to effectively be ended as a contest. Odegaard mishit his effort after being teed up by Ben White, but he still succeeded in wrong-footing Rushworth, who could only watch the ball trickle over the line.
Rushworth redeemed himself somewhat by tipping over an ambitious Myles Lewis-Skelly strike and repelling a Tzolis drive, but it was more by fortune than any kind of defensive solidity that the scoreline retained an air of respectability.
Jack Rudoni headed straight at Raya from close range late on as he failed to give Coventry something to celebrate on a night that belonged to Arsenal. The comfort for the new boys is that they know nights like these will not decide their fight to stay in the division.
