Arsenal wasted no time making a statement at the start of the new Premier League season, brushing aside Coventry 3-0 with the authority of a side that genuinely believes it belongs at the top.

The Gunners were measured and assured throughout, producing the kind of polished performance that will send a clear message to every title rival in the division — the champions are not done yet.

It was precisely the sort of opener that builds momentum early in a campaign, with Arsenal controlling the tempo from the first whistle and leaving Coventry with little room to breathe.

The emphatic scoreline confirmed what many had suspected heading into the new season: Arsenal remain the standard against which every other Premier League side will be measured.