Arsenal crushed Manchester Metropolis 3-0 within the Neighborhood Defend as Calafiori, Havertz and Odegaard scored, giving Mikel Arteta early silverware and a robust assertion forward of the season.
IMAGE: Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard lifts the FA Neighborhood Defend after beating Manchester Metropolis in Cardiff on Sunday. {Photograph}: Matthew Childs/Reuters
Key Factors
- Arsenal thrashed Manchester Metropolis 3-0 within the Neighborhood Defend, giving Mikel Arteta an early trophy and handing new Metropolis boss Enzo Maresca defeat in his first recreation.
- Riccardo Calafiori scored after simply 23 seconds, the quickest opening-minute purpose within the fixture in 58 years, setting the tone for Arsenal’s dominant show.
- Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard added additional objectives, whereas David Raya produced vital saves as Arsenal stored Metropolis and Erling Haaland largely quiet.
- Arsenal captain Odegaard vowed to chase extra trophies, with the Premier League and Champions League among the many membership’s main ambitions for the brand new marketing campaign.
Arsenal beat Manchester Metropolis 3-0 within the Neighborhood Defend on Sunday, giving Mikel Arteta an early-season triumph whereas condemning new Metropolis boss Enzo Maresca to defeat in his first recreation in cost within the conventional curtain-raiser to the marketing campaign.
With their fourth victory over Metropolis within the fixture, Arsenal maintained their one hundred pc win report over their opponents with an emphatic efficiency on the Principality Stadium the place Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard discovered the web.
“We confirmed our stage as we speak, we confirmed that we’re prepared,” Odegaard instructed TNT Sports activities.
“I believe we confirmed that we’re critical, we wish to do it once more. There’s extra trophies to go for and that is the goal.”
Having did not persuade in pre-season performances that raised a couple of eyebrows, Arsenal exploded into motion with devastating impact proper from kickoff, needing simply 23 seconds to silence any lingering doubts about their readiness.
Myles Lewis-Skelly was deployed in midfield and he threaded a wonderful cross to arrange left again Calafiori, who calmly completed previous Gianluigi Donnarumma to provide Arsenal the proper begin in opposition to the FA Cup champions.
Arsenal Make Explosive Begin
IMAGE: Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori celebrates scoring their first purpose. {Photograph}: Matthew Childs/Reuters
The early strike — the primary purpose scored within the opening minute of the fixture in 58 years — set the tone for a dominant show the place Arsenal seemed fitter, sharper, extra assured and filled with attacking verve.
Metropolis didn’t have a transparent alternative till the twentieth minute when Phil Foden curled a shot from vary however David Raya was as much as the duty, diving to his proper to disclaim the midfielder, whereas he additionally saved a shot later from Erling Haaland.
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Havertz Doubles Lead as Arsenal Dominate Metropolis
IMAGE: Arsenal’s Kai Havertz scores previous Manchester Metropolis goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. {Photograph}: Matthew Childs/Reuters
Arsenal doubled their lead when Odegaard floated in a cross to the far publish the place new signing Christos Tzolis headed the ball again throughout purpose for Havertz to move residence, with Donnarumma by accident spilling the ball over the road.
Arsenal wanted simply three minutes after the restart to make it 3-0 with Tzolis grabbing his second help when he arrange Odegaard, whose delicate first contact took the ball previous Josko Gvardiol earlier than he beat a wrong-footed Donnarumma with ease.
Maresca’s facet confirmed solely flashes of their attacking menace however Raya stood agency to protect a clear sheet whereas Haaland — final season’s Golden Boot winner with 27 objectives — was stored quiet and withdrawn earlier than the hour-mark.
Arsenal Set Sights on Extra Silverware
IMAGE: Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard celebrates with Kai Havertz after scoring their third purpose. {Photograph}: Chris Radburn/Reuters
Arsenal kick off the brand new Premier League marketing campaign on Friday in opposition to Coventry Metropolis and Odegaard mentioned they have been going to play on the entrance foot to defend their crown.
“We’ll assault it. We wish to do it once more. It was an unbelievable achievement and expertise for all of us,” he mentioned.
“Once you get the style of how good it’s, you wish to do it once more. And there is additionally a couple of different ones we wish to take,” he added, referring to the Champions League title that slipped via their fingers within the closing in opposition to Paris St Germain.
“At this membership, you wish to win all of them. However after all, that is an enormous one.”
