Arsenal have made a perfect start to the defence of their Premier League crown, and much of the credit belongs to a trio of attackers who are finally healthy at the same time. Three wins from three league matches have been built on the returning brilliance of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, who have combined for six league goals already this season - more than half of what they managed collectively across the whole of last term.
The latest example came in Arsenal's 2-1 comeback win over Chelsea, where Havertz's equaliser matched his entire Premier League goal tally from last season, before Odegaard struck the winner after latching onto a pass from Christos Tzolis. Saka has also been among the goals, netting against both Coventry and Aston Villa as Arsenal opened their campaign with maximum points.
What makes this run so significant is not simply the output but the fact these three players are actually sharing the pitch together. Injuries ravaged Arsenal's attack for much of last season, and between December 2024 and the start of this campaign, Saka, Odegaard and Havertz started a Premier League match together on only one occasion. Havertz's three consecutive league starts to open this season is something he did not achieve until April last year.
Manager Mikel Arteta, typically guarded about praising individuals, could not hide his satisfaction at having his key attackers fit and firing. "He feels fit and confidence-wise, it's the highest I've seen him," Arteta said of Odegaard. "He has a point to prove from last season as well, from missing so much football. Kai is the same; Bukayo is the same. We missed so many attacking players last season for long, long periods - I'm not sure how many games they played together last season, but probably not many."
Arteta believes the improved fitness levels within his squad point to a team capable of surpassing last season's title-winning standards. "It's an indication for us that we're capable of performing even higher than we did last season," he said. "It depends on whether we maintain that desire, that humility, and continue every day to find a greater version of myself and the team. We still have a lot to grow and a lot to offer, and that's the ambition of the team."
The eye test backs up the numbers. With Saka, Odegaard and Havertz all on the field, Arsenal look more fluid and technically assured, with natural rotations and understanding between the trio, who often drift toward the right side together. Without that spine of creativity, as seen when Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke feature instead, matches tend to become scrappier and less controlled, with more turnovers and tighter margins.
Encouragingly for Arsenal, this depth extends beyond attack. The club has been able to manage minutes elsewhere too, with William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and £75million signing Bruno Guimaraes yet to make significant league contributions, while Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi have proven capable of closing out matches from the bench. That squad strength should prevent the burnout suffered by players like Zubimendi and Declan Rice last season, when fatigue took a visible toll in the closing months.
With the Champions League campaign now underway and a congested fixture schedule ahead, Arteta faces the challenge of balancing rotation with continuity. But if he can keep his prized attacking trio healthy and firing, Arsenal look set to be a considerably more dangerous proposition than they were last season - a daunting prospect for the rest of the division.
Based on reporting from standard-football.