Arsenal pick up exactly where they left off: 3-0 against a Coventry side that never arrived
Havertz at 15, Saka at 23, Ødegaard at 49. But the number that defines opening night is a different one: Coventry did not make a single tackle until the 69th minute, by which point they were already three down.
A week after taking Manchester City apart in the Community Shield, Arsenal opened the defence of their title with a performance that asked no questions of anybody. 3-0 against Coventry City, and it could have been more.
Kai Havertz got the first at 15, Bukayo Saka the second at 23, and Martin Ødegaard added a third four minutes into the second half. The Emirates barely had to raise its voice.
New signing Christos Tzolis was involved in the build-up to both opening goals. Down the right, Ben White, Saka and Ødegaard picked Coventry apart in the channel they have been picking teams apart in for three seasons now. Nothing here was improvised.
The number that tells the whole story
Coventry became the first side in a Premier League match since Opta began collecting the data in 2007 to record no touches in the opposition box and no tackles in the first half. Their first tackle of the night came at 69 minutes — 3-0 down.
That is not a defensive plan. That is a team that spent 45 minutes chasing a ball it was never close to. Carl Rushworth, in the Coventry goal, was comfortably their best player, which on a promoted side's first night in the division is rarely a good sign.
Match facts
- 15' — Kai Havertz (Arsenal)
- 23' — Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
- 49' — Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal)
- 69' — Coventry's first tackle of the match
| Stat | Arsenal | Coventry City |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 64.1% | 35.9% |
| Total shots | 20 | 4 |
| Shots on target | 6 | 1 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 1.80 | 0.28 |
| Pass accuracy | 91.7% | 78.1% |
| Corners | 8 | 2 |
| Fouls conceded | 10 | 13 |
| Offsides | 5 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
How it unfolded
Arsenal did not need a fast start, but they took one anyway. Havertz finished the first real opening at 15, and eight minutes later Saka made it two from the right-hand side that has become the club's default route to goal.
The third came early in the second half, Ødegaard's finish taking a scuff on the way in — the only untidy thing Arsenal did all evening. After that the game simply stopped. Twenty shots to four, and Coventry's single effort on target flattered them.
What's next
Arsenal close matchweek 2 away at Aston Villa on Monday 31 August — a considerably better read on where this side actually is. Coventry get a far kinder night: Hull City at home on Saturday 29 August, promoted against promoted, and a first realistic chance of a point.
Picks for you
Advertising. Affiliate links — we may earn a commission on your purchases, at no extra cost to you. It does not influence our editorial coverage.
Keep reading
International FootballHull City 2-0 Manchester United: 72% of the ball, and not one thing to show for it
Two set pieces from Regan Slater, two goals before half-time, and Hull's first league win over Manchester United since 1974. United had 21 shots and 71.5% possession. They also had nothing.
International FootballEverton 2-0 Crystal Palace: Palace hit the woodwork twice, Everton hit the net twice
Crystal Palace had 58% of the ball, four big chances and an xG of 2.04. They lost 2-0. Dewsbury-Hall and Barry scored, Pickford saved what needed saving, and Everton won on opening weekend for the first time in five years.
International FootballJack Clarke comes off the bench at Portman Road and beats the club he used to score for
Two Sunderland giveaways, two Ipswich goals. Emersonn punished the first, Jack Clarke — a Sunderland player not long ago — punished the second at 90. Gary O'Neil starts his Ipswich tenure with three points and seven new signings in the XI.