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Match report
With both sides topping their respective divisions for goals from set pieces last term, dead-ball situations were likely to play a big part, and Coventry pragmatically moved straight upfield from kick-off to win a first-minute corner.
But that was about all they could muster in the opening half, with new signing Christos Tzolis causing problems in the lead-up to the champions’ opener.
The Greek winger won it back from Milan van Ewijk on the left and laid it off for Riccardo Calafiori, who brilliantly swept a low cross into the middle of the area for Kai Havertz to stroke home.
Arsenal weren’t willing to let up, and notched a second when Declan Rice broke forward and played it out for Tzolis, whose low delivery was too hot for Carl Rushworth to handle, falling to the edge of the six-yard box for Bukayo Saka to find the open net.
Coventry stayed up against it for the remainder of the half, but stood firm and even had David Raya backpedalling as HT approached, when Loum Tchaouna’s overhead kick landed on the top of the net.
Unfortunately, the Sky Blues’ good work came to nothing, and they were punished after the restart, with Ben White’s pull-back scuffed goalward by Martin Odegaard, only for Rushworth to lose his footing and fail to stop the ball crossing the line.
Desperate to get on the scoresheet after his first-half performance, Tzolis then rasped goalward, though Matt Grimes was firmly in the way.
The remainder of the half felt more like May’s title procession than a season opener, as the hosts played it around comfortably while Mikel Arteta made sure his key players were substituted to standing ovations.
Many will see the result as an early indication that Frank Lampard’s fourth stint in charge of a PL side is unlikely to be any easier than his previous three, but Coventry fans will take comfort that arguably the most challenging fixture of the season is already out of the way.
There’s little to suggest Arsenal won’t be just as strong this campaign, with a solid debut performance from Tzolis only strengthening their case for a first run of consecutive league titles since the mid-1930s.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ben White (Arsenal)
