EPL: Arsenal thrash Coventry 3-0 to open season in style

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Arsenal made the perfect start to their Premier League title defence with a stylish 3-0 win against Coventry in the opening game of the season on Friday.

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Mikel Arteta’s side brushed aside promoted Coventry in emphatic fashion at the Emirates Stadium, underlining their determination to retain the title.

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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.

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The Gunners have not successfully defended the English title since the 1930s, but Arteta insisted this week his players are hungry for more silverware.

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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.

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The only downside for Arsenal was the realisation they have to wait 10 days for their next game at Aston Villa.

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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.

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The England defender completed his £51 million ($69 million) move from Villa earlier on Friday and could make his debut against his old club on August 31.

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Greek winger Christos Tzolis dazzled on his first league start for Arsenal after his close-season move from Club Brugge.

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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.

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– Rampant Arsenal –

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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.

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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 feel-good moment.

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But Arsenal had no room for sentiment as they dispatched Coventry in merciless style.

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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.

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The party atmosphere created by Arsenal’s jubilant fans in north London was a fitting backdrop to a swaggering performance.

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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.

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He went close again moments later with a close-range effort that was cleared off the line by Bobby Thomas.

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It was no surprise when Arsenal took the lead ruthlessly after 15 minutes.

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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.

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Arteta’s rampant team scented blood and went for the kill in the 23rd minute.

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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.

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Coventry had been reduced to helpless bystanders by Arsenal’s ceaseless pressing and clever movement.

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If it was not already over, Odegaard put the result beyond doubt in the 49th minute.

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Saka and Ben White teamed up to rip through the Coventry defence before Odegaard’s miscued shot from 10 yards was scuffed past Rushworth’s weak attempted save.

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AFP

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