No new striker, no worries - Havertz and Odegaard torment Chelsea

What the report says

Arsenal’s strong start to the Premier League season continued with a 2-1 comeback win over Chelsea on Sunday, a result that left the defending champions with nine points from three matches and just one goal conceded. BBC Sport reports that the London derby was a key early test for Mikel Arteta’s side, who have begun the campaign by beating Coventry City and Aston Villa before overcoming another high-spending rival.

Chelsea went ahead early through £117m signing Morgan Rogers, but Arsenal responded before half-time through Kai Havertz, who joined the club in 2023. Captain Martin Odegaard then scored the winner in the second half. The performance came despite Arsenal failing to land the elite striker they had wanted in the summer, after targets including Julian Alvarez, Bradley Barcola and Vinicius Jr were not secured.

The article says Arsenal spent close to £200m on new arrivals but still relied on familiar players to decide the match. Odegaard’s recent form is highlighted as especially important, with the midfielder scoring three goals in four appearances in all competitions this season after a difficult previous league campaign. Havertz also praised Odegaard’s level, while former players speaking to BBC Sport argued Arsenal’s ability to keep winning makes them early title favourites.

Arsenal, who won the Premier League last season, next travel to Sunderland in the league and begin their Champions League campaign at Napoli in midweek. The wider significance is that, despite transfer-window competition from other major clubs, they have opened the season with the kind of consistency and resilience that suggests they remain the team to beat.