Arsenal got their Premier League title defence off to a perfect start with a 3-0 win over Coventry at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.
Kai Havertz struck early in the first half, Bukayo Saka doubled the lead, and Martin Odegaard added a third after the break to complete the win.
Mikel Arteta's side brushed aside the promoted team in emphatic style, showing their determination to keep the trophy. The Gunners have not successfully defended the English title since the 1930s, but Arteta insisted this week that his players are hungry for more silverware.
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 satisfied by that long-awaited triumph as they put Coventry to the sword.
The only downside for Arsenal is that they have to wait 10 days for their next game at Aston Villa.
Worryingly for their rivals, they are only getting stronger. New signing Ezri Konsa was given a warm welcome when he was presented to fans before kickoff. The England defender completed his 51 million-pound ($69m) move from Villa earlier on Friday and could make his debut against his old club on August 31.
Greek winger Christos Tzolis dazzled on his first league start for Arsenal after his close-season move from Club Brugge. 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.
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. Having spent a season in the fourth tier, plunged into administration and twice forced to ground-share away from their home city in the 25 years since they were last in the Premier League, the return of Frank Lampard's side was a feelgood moment.
But Arsenal had no room for sentiment as they dispatched Coventry in merciless style.
In their first home league game since being crowned champions, Arsenal strode onto the pitch with the acclaim of the sellout 60,000 crowd ringing in their ears. The party atmosphere from the jubilant fans in north London was a fitting backdrop to a swaggering performance.
Tzolis, who provided two assists in the Community Shield, nearly scored his first Arsenal goal in the opening minutes, firing just over from Odegaard's pass. He went close again moments later with a close-range effort that was cleared off the line by Bobby Thomas.
It was no surprise when Arsenal took the lead in ruthless fashion after 15 minutes. 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.
Source: www.aljazeera.com — Read the original article
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