Arsenal make emphatic winning start to title defence

Arsenal have opened their Premier League title defence with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Coventry at the Emirates Stadium.

Kai Havertz set the champions on their way inside 15 minutes before Bukayo Saka doubled the hosts' lead midway through the first half.

Martin Odegaard added a third for the Gunners four minutes after the interval.

There will of course be far sterner tests to come for Mikel Arteta's side, as Frank Lampard's Coventry were delivered an unenviable opening rubber on their Premier League comeback after 25 years away.

But Arsenal's one-sided opening-night win cements their status as the bookmakers' pre-season favourites.

Arsenal's home matches last season were riddled with anxiety as the Gunners attempted to end a grisly streak of near-misses and land their first title in two decades.

But with the Premier League now safely tucked away in the trophy cabinet, Arsenal will hope to play with more freedom this term as they attempt to retain their crown. And there were certainly signs of that on Friday night, albeit against opposition who are tipped to go straight back down.

Havertz scored only twice in the league last season after he was sidelined for almost five months with a knee injury sustained on the opening weekend.

But after he started, and scored, in Arsenal's crushing 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield five days ago, Havertz was again retained in the line-up - in favour of former Coventry striker Viktor Gyokeres - and back on the scoresheet.

Christos Tzolis, Arsenal's sole debutant with Bruno Guimaraes absent through injury, impressed, and, after smothering right-back Milan van Ewijk, Riccardo Calafiori's drag back was expertly converted by Havertz.

There were question marks over the fitness of both Declan Rice and Saka during England's run to the semi-finals of the World Cup. And both were, perhaps tellingly, withdrawn after the hour mark.

But it was Rice's drive to the edge of the penalty area - assisted by a neat one-two with Odegaard - that sparked Arsenal's second in the 23rd minute.

Rice played in Tzolis and his cross was only clawed away by goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, with Saka on hand to covert the rebound.

Rice's curling effort then shaved Rushworth's post on the stroke of half-time before he was involved for the Gunners' next goal when he delivered a line-breaking pass to Odegaard.