Mikel Arteta loved how Arsenal opened their Premier League title defense with a dominant 3-0 win over newly-promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.
**MORE —** [Arsenal v Coventry City as it happened, highlights](https://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/live/arsenal-vs-coventry-city-live-updates-score-goals-highlights-stats-2026-august-21)
The Spanish boss took a 2-0 halftime lead through Kai Havertz and Bukao Saka, then essentially put the game away just after halftime when Ben White set up Martin Odegaard’s 49th-minute marker.
Coventry barely threatened, producing just 0.06 xG on three shot attempts and just two touches in the Arsenal box.
It was largely how Arteta would’ve drawn it up, with goals being spread around, substitutions not a problem, and a clean sheet for David Raya.
We’ll share all of Mikel Arteta’s words as soon as he speaks from North London.