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Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka were on target as Arsenal began the new Premier League season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium.
Germany international Havertz had the home fans on their feet midway through the first half thanks to a wonderful assist from Saka in sunny north London on Saturday.
The hosts were not quite as convincing in a second period as Wolves upped their match, though Havertz did miss a great chance to double the lead.
But the brilliant Saka ensured there would be no misstep to start a campaign in which Arsenal are looking to go one better than a second-place finish last term.
Victory means the Gunners join fellow potential title contenders Liverpool and Manchester United among the teams on three points, with Wolves in the bottom three, albeit after only one match.
How the match unfolded
Saka had been one of Arsenal’s main tormentors-in-chiefs, twice seeing tame efforts saved by Jose Sa. Before, delivering a superb whipped cross from the right headed home by Havertz after 25 minutes.
It needed a remarkable save from David Raya to deny Jorgen Strand Larsen a debut Wolves goal, while at the other end Joao Gomes made a terrific block to frustrate Gabriel Martinelli after a terrific through ball from Declan Rice.
Havertz bent wide of the right post shortly after the restart and Thomas Partey curled off target from the edge of the box as Arsenal probed for a second.
Wolves certainly picked up, though, and substitute Matheus Cunha should have done more to make William Saliba pay for a misplaced pass.
That profligacy was punished when Saka stepped inside Rayan Ait-Nouri on the right of the area and beat Sa at his near post to take the match beyond Wolves in the 74th minute.
Silky Saka shines as the Gunners get going
Saka, of course, suffered Euro 2024 final heartbreak with England a little over a month ago but there were few signs of scars from that painful defeat to Spain.
It was a typically industrious performance from the tricky winger, who made Sa work hard with a save low down to his left after showing good strength to hold off Ait-Nouri.
His cross for Havertz’s opener was whipped, dipped, and near-enough undefendable – his German team-mate could hardly have missed in all honesty.
There were a couple of signs of early-season rust from the Gunners in a second period, when Wolves certainly had their chances, though, and a packed-out Emirates Stadium was certainly getting agitated.
But Saka once more had Ait-Nouri back-tracking before firing home Arsenal’s second and if he and captain Martin Odegaard, who also impressed in the middle of the park, keep finding fluidity, then there is no reason Arsenal cannot challenge for the title again after finishing an agonising two points behind Manchester City last season.
A silver lining for Wolves… this one is out of the way early
Wolves lost two of their most influential players during pre-season with Max Kilman and Pedro Neto moving onto pastures new.
So, there will be plenty of onus on others to step up for Gary O’Neil’s side throughout the campaign.
But it is fair to say they will have easier challenges, especially in defence where the Gunners’ ability to move the ball in the tightest of spaces caused a plethora of issues.
Ait-Nouri is a top Premier League performer but spent a lot of time being twisted this way and that by Saka, and you sense he will not be the only left-sided defender to endure such treatment this season.
Toti Gomes had his struggles too and on another day might have given away a penalty after clumsy work in the area when challenging Saka.
There were positives to take from this defeat too, not least the fact it took a wonderful stop from Raya to deny Larsen from Hwang Hee-chan’s cross that rivalled Saka’s for technical ability.
Moreover, there was a good 10-minute period where if Wolves – particularly Cunha – were a touch more clinical, then the context of this match might have changed.
What managers said
Mikel Arteta: “The lack of control in the second half [we can improve], we gave so many simple balls away. We also had to finish situations better but overall very happy.”
Gary O’Neil: “I thought we were good. I was pleased. I obviously don’t like losing but we gave Arsenal a tough match. We restricted them to not too many chances.”
Club reports
Club reports
Arsenal report | Wolves report
Match officials
Referee: Jarred Gillett. Assistants: Darren Cann, Nick Greenhalgh. Fourth official: Gavin Ward. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Natalie Aspinall.