Arsenal opened the defence of their Premier League title with a comfortable 3-0 win over newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium on Friday, continuing the ruthless early season form they showed in their 3-0 Community Shield win over Manchester City the previous weekend.
Kai Havertz gave the champions the lead in the 15th minute, converting from a Riccardo Calafiori assist. Bukayo Saka doubled Arsenal's advantage in the 23rd minute, and Martin Ødegaard added a third just after the break, finishing from a Ben White assist in the 49th minute, to put the result beyond doubt.
Arteta made late changes as the game wound down, bringing on Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino, while summer signing Christos Tzolis also featured off the bench. The win means Arsenal, who ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, have started this campaign exactly as they finished the last one, with back-to-back routs of their opening opponents.
Arsenal head into the new season aiming to become champions in successive years for the first time since their 2003/04 "Invincibles" campaign, and Friday's opening day performance will only strengthen the sense that Arteta's squad has the depth and quality to mount a serious title defence.
