Arsenal made a dream start to their Premier League title defense by coasting to a 3-0 win against promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.
First-half goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, followed by a Martin Ødegaard strike four minutes into the second half, completed a straightforward win for the Gunners against a side that won the EFL Championship with an 11-point margin last season.
Despite Coventry's success last season, the gulf between the two sides was huge and gave Sky Blues manager Frank Lampard an early warning as to how tough it will be to keep his team in the top flight.
Arsenal barely looked troubled by Lampard's players and could have won by a greater margin, but the priority for manager Mikel Arteta was to avoid an opening-day embarrassment, and his team achieved that in emphatic fashion. -- Mark Ogden
Bukayo Saka's strike helped set Arsenal on course for a stress-free start to their title defense. Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal lay down early marker as champions The result was never in doubt from the moment Havertz put Arsenal in front. The Emirates was often a fraught venue in the second half of last season, as almost every league game turned into an agonizing crawl toward the finish line. But winning their first title in 22 years has seemingly liberated everyone in red to the extent the prematch feel-good factor only increased throughout the 90 minutes.
The level of opposition was limited, and Arsenal are now unbeaten in 46 consecutive home matches against newly promoted opposition. But nevertheless, this was a commanding display which only reinforces their status as this season's title favorites. Tougher tests lie ahead -- Aston Villa a week from Monday are next -- but an evening stroll like this was the ideal start as the Gunners aim to pick up where they left off last season.
Havertz cements first-choice status at striker
It is maybe easy to forget that Arsenal signed Gyökeres last summer as an upgrade on Havertz. And yet, as the season wore on and doubts persisted around Gyökeres, Havertz forced his way back into the team. With both players fit following their World Cup exploits, that hierarchy has continued with Havertz getting the nod against City and once more here.