Three matches into the new Premier League campaign, Arsenal have secured maximum points, and more importantly, have looked the superior side in every single fixture. Mikel Arteta's men have navigated three contrasting challenges with composure, suggesting this season's title defense is beginning on the strongest possible footing.
The opening victory over Coventry City was routine and controlled, while the win against Aston Villa proved trickier, ultimately decided by a sustained spell of pressure applied in the opening quarter-hour after the interval. The most recent test came against Chelsea, a far more open contest that saw Arsenal concede their first league goal of the campaign. Despite falling behind, Xabi Alonso's visitors never truly looked capable of derailing Arsenal's momentum, even as David Raya was forced into a spectacular late save to deny a shot from Estevão.
Raya's shot-stopping ability has become a crucial component of Arsenal's setup, giving the team a psychological edge even when opponents manage to carve out clear opportunities. The Gunners have also shown versatility in how they hurt teams, combining set-piece danger with fluent open-play movement. That said, not everything has been flawless — Declan Rice, arguably Arsenal's standout performer last season, endured a quieter afternoon against Chelsea and escaped punishment for a cynical late trip on Morgan Rogers, an incident many felt merited stronger sanction.
Part of Arsenal's early-season vigor may simply stem from renewed belief after three consecutive runner-up finishes, with the psychological burden of unfulfilled title ambitions now lifted. But individual improvement has also played a major role. Martin Ødegaard, who struggled with fitness issues and managed just a single league goal last term, already has two in the league this season plus one in the Community Shield. Rather than showing signs of post-World Cup fatigue, the Norwegian appears refreshed and inventive, showcasing the kind of creative spark that produced a superb finish against Chelsea. His combinations with Kai Havertz have been particularly eye-catching, the pair conjuring space through clever movement to set up the winning goal.
Bukayo Saka is another player who looks revitalized. Despite carrying significant mileage — Sunday's match marked his 205th Premier League start at just 25 years old — he has rediscovered his best form early this campaign, terrorizing defenses from the right flank and consistently delivering dangerous set-piece deliveries. Last season's heavy workload, compounded by international duty, had raised concerns about burnout, but Saka appears to have shaken off any lingering fatigue.
Riccardo Calafiori has emerged as another key figure, developing an increasingly effective partnership with Christos Tzolis going forward. The Italian defender, who opened the scoring in the Community Shield, has demonstrated a knack for breaking defensive lines and remains a constant set-piece threat, even as some defensive coordination issues on that side of the pitch still need ironing out.
As for Chelsea, there were signs of progress in their performance, with a tighter midfield structure than shown in previous outings against Fulham and Brighton — though that discipline may have been easier to maintain against a possession-dominant side like Arsenal. Should Chelsea continue developing, they could become serious contenders as the season wears on, particularly once European commitments begin to tax other rivals.
For now, though, the fixture list has been kind to Arsenal, facing Villa away and Chelsea at home while both opponents were still settling into their systems. It remains early days, with the first international break yet to arrive, and football has a habit of punishing complacency. Still, at this moment, Arsenal appear more likely to secure the title with games to spare than to see their grip on top spot slip away.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.