Arsenal kicked off their Premier League title defence in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners underlined their title credentials after their impressive Community Shield win over Manchester City last weekend, delivering another dominant display to send a warning to their rivals.
New signing Christos Tzolis was once again outstanding. The Greece international, who provided two assists at the Principality Stadium, played a key role in Arsenal’s opening two goals on his Premier League debut. He first won possession for Riccardo Calafiori to set up Kai Havertz before delivering a cross that Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth diverted into the path of Bukayo Saka. “What a left-winger Arsenal have got,” said Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher during co-commentary.
Coventry struggled to cope with Arsenal’s intensity and failed to register a tackle in the opening 45 minutes. Things barely improved after the break, as Martin Odegaard’s miscued effort found the net just four minutes into the second half to make it 3-0.
With Ben White, Saka and Odegaard linking up effectively on the right, Tzolis causing problems from the left and Havertz looking sharp, Arsenal already appear to be in top gear. Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly also impressed with their smooth midfield combinations.
The Arsenal defence had little to worry about, while Ezri Konsa’s pre-match welcome following his £55m move from Aston Villa highlighted the additional quality and depth they have added to the backline.
There will be tougher challenges ahead, but Arsenal have made it clear they intend to be difficult to stop.
For Coventry, the consolation is that they will not have to face Arsenal again until April. Their attention now turns to next weekend’s home clash with Hull City, a match likely to have much greater importance for their season.