Arsenal made the perfect start to their Premier League title defense with a stylish 3-0 win against Coventry in the opening game of the season on Friday.<\/p>\n
Mikel Arteta’s side brushed aside promoted Coventry in emphatic fashion at the Emirates Stadium, underlining their determination to retain the title.<\/p>\n
Kai Havertz struck early in the first half and Bukayo Saka doubled the lead before Martin Odegaard netted after the interval to complete Arsenal’s masterclass.<\/p>\n
The Gunners have not successfully defended the English title since the 1930s, but Arteta insisted this week his players are hungry for more silverware.<\/p>\n
Just 89 days after rounding off their title-winning campaign with a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace in May, the champions showed no signs of being sated by that long-awaited triumph as they put Coventry to the sword.<\/p>\n
The only downside for Arsenal was the realisation they have to wait 10 days for their next game at Aston Villa.<\/p>\n
Worryingly for Arsenal’s rivals, they are only getting stronger and new signing Ezri Konsa was given a warm welcome when he was presented to fans before kick-off.<\/p>\n
The England defender completed his \u00a351 million ($69 million) move from Villa earlier on Friday and could make his debut against his old club on August 31.<\/p>\n
Greek winger Christos Tzolis dazzled on his first league start for Arsenal after his close-season move from Club Brugge.<\/p>\n
Fellow new signing Bruno Guimaraes was hardly missed after being sidelined by an injury suffered in last weekend’s Community Shield win over Manchester City.<\/p>\n
Rampant Arsenal<\/h3>\n
Coventry were playing their first Premier League game since 2001 after winning the Championship last season to end their long exile from the top-flight.<\/p>\n
Having spent a season in the fourth tier, plunged into administration and twice been forced to ground-share away from Coventry in the 25 years since they were last in the Premier League, the return of Frank Lampard’s side was a feelgood moment.<\/p>\n
But Arsenal had no room for sentiment as they dispatched Coventry in merciless style.<\/p>\n
In their first home league game since being crowned champions last season, Arsenal strode onto the pitch with the acclaim of the sell-out 60,000 crowd ringing in their ears.<\/p>\n
The party atmosphere created by Arsenal’s jubilant fans in north London was a fitting backdrop to a swaggering performance.<\/p>\n
Tzolis, who provided two assists in the Community Shield, nearly bagged his first Arsenal goal in the opening minutes, firing just over from Odegaard’s pass.<\/p>\n
He went close again moments later with a close-range effort that was cleared off the line by Bobby Thomas.<\/p>\n
It was no surprise when Arsenal took the lead in ruthless fashion after 15 minutes.<\/p>\n
Coventry defender Milan van Ewijk surrendered possession carelessly on the right flank and Riccardo Calafiori pounced, whipping in a cross that Havertz met with a clinical low strike from just inside the penalty area.<\/p>\n
Arteta’s rampant team scented blood and went for the kill in the 23rd minute.<\/p>\n
Rice and Odegaard exchanged passes to work the ball out to Tzolis, whose cross was pushed out by Coventry keeper Carl Rushworth into the path of Saka for a simple close-range finish.<\/p>\n
Coventry had been reduced to helpless bystanders by Arsenal’s ceaseless pressing and clever movement.<\/p>\n
If it was not already over, Odegaard put the result beyond doubt in the 49th minute.<\/p>\n
Saka and Ben White teamed up to rip through the Coventry defence before Odegaard’s miscued shot from 10 yards scuffed past Rushworth’s weak attempted save.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n