Arsenal made a statement of intent in their opening game of the season, brushing aside newly-promoted Coventry City 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium to begin their title defence on a high note.
The champions took control early, with Kai Havertz breaking the deadlock inside 15 minutes to open his account for the campaign.
Both sides had been among the most productive from set pieces in the league last season, so an early flurry of dead-ball activity was no surprise. Coventry showed their intent from the first whistle, moving the ball upfield swiftly to win an early corner, but that spell of promise proved to be the extent of their attacking threat in the first half.
Instead, it was new Arsenal signing Christos Tzolis who caused the visitors the most trouble. The Greek winger dispossessed Milan van Ewijk down the left before squaring the ball to Riccardo Calafiori, who whipped in a low cross for Havertz to finish confidently from close range and put the hosts ahead.
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Arsenal doubled their lead soon after, as Declan Rice surged forward and picked out Tzolis, whose low delivery proved too difficult for Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth to deal with. The ball spilled into the six-yard box, where Bukayo Saka was on hand to tap home unopposed.
Coventry held firm for the remainder of the half despite being under near-constant pressure, and almost pulled one back themselves when Loum Tchaouna’s audacious overhead kick struck the crossbar, forcing David Raya into a nervy scramble.
The visitors’ resistance didn’t last long into the second half. Ben White’s low cross was inadvertently turned toward goal by Martin Ødegaard, and although the strike lacked power, Rushworth lost his footing attempting to keep it out, allowing the ball to trickle over the line for Arsenal’s third.
Tzolis, eager to add his name to the scoresheet after an impressive full debut, fired a effort goalward shortly after, only to be denied by a well-placed Matt Grimes block.
From there, Arsenal were content to see out the remainder of the match with control and composure, with manager Mikel Arteta using the closing stages to make substitutions and give his key players a rousing send-off from the home crowd.
