ARSENAL 2-0 WOLVES: Goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka gave the runners-up of the previous Premier League season a head start on their quest for the championship this year at home against Gary O’Neil’s team.

This season, Mikel Arteta just has one basic objective in mind: Champions.

And Arsenal’s championship challenge is underway with three points after goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka in either half proved to be sufficient to defeat Wolves at the Emirates.

After 25 minutes, Havertz, who manager Mikel Arteta had chosen over Gabriel Jesus to be the centre of the Gunners attack, gave the home team the lead by beating Jose Sa to Saka’s right-wing cross.

A few minutes later, David Raya beat new No. 9 Jorgan Strand Larsen’s header to keep Wolves from levelling the score. Raya, who made his summer loan from Brentford permanent, once again saved the day by stopping substitute Matheus Cunha as Arsenal attempted to score but were unable to capitalise.

The home audience was starting to become anxious that Saka, an England player, may pull off an equaliser when he skilfully jinked inside with his left foot and hammered a forceful finish into the net. The story was given by his celebration, which seemed to be saying, “calm down, don’t worry, I’m here.”

They were ultimately just slightly better than their guests. Arteta will be hoping that at the end of the season, they’ve also risen above the others.

Six talking points from the Emirates are included below…

1. The cross needs to be stopped.
Wolves started out as a pretty good defensive team. Although they weren’t flawless, they annoyed their guests by failing to provide a clean view of Jose Sa’s goal.

Then, in the twenty-fifth minute, they conceded a goal that was almost entirely unjustifiable.

Saka claimed the assist, and although it’s not the first or the last of his career, it will be difficult to come up with one that’s harder than this one. Because Wolves were out of their defensive formation when the ball was shifted to the right side following the breakdown of a set-piece. However, only Mario Lemina, the new captain, who was 6/7 yards away from Saka when the ball got to him, can understand why he chose not to race across to bring down the England player.

Rather than attempting to find teammates, he bided his time and observed the surroundings as Saka returned the ball to his right foot. With ample time to assess the situation, he selected a cross that Havertz nicked. Lemina might have been able to make an impact if he had responded more quickly.

Kai Havertz gets on the end of Bukayo Saka’s cross to head past Jose Sa ( Image: Getty Images)

2. The alignment of Rice-Havertz
Upon their arrival at the Emirates, Declan Rice and Havertz appeared to be destined to work together in a new-look midfield.

Even while the £170 million pair are still a mainstay in Arteta’s starting lineup a year later, at the beginning of their second seasons in Arsenal red, their individual circumstances have significantly changed.

At first, it seemed as though Rice had been signed as the Gunners’ No. 6, holding and screening the defence. Even Arteta admitted as much last summer: Havertz was going to play in midfield alongside Martin Odegaard in a manner similar to how David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne used to at Manchester City, with Arteta serving as Guardiola’s backup.

Unfortunately, it didn’t bring out the best in either man. Since Kalvin Phillips’ death, England has discovered that Rice is only half of a player when he is made to play as the deepest midfield player and is confined, unable to use his physicality and athleticism to run all over opponents. Furthermore, you want a player to be the best version of themselves when you invest more than £100 million on them.

Rice’s role changed as a result of the return of Jorginho and Thomas Partey. In terms of defence, it improved Arsenal’s balance and security and allowed the former West Ham player to reach his peak, developing into a considerably more assured player.

Consequently, Havertz, whose initial performances were highly contested, also saw a shift in circumstances. After Eddie Nketiah failed to convince everyone that he was the right answer and Gabriel Jesus’ injury problems returned, the German was forced into the False Nine position, where he helped Chelsea win the Champions League. In the part, he’s not everyone’s cup of tea. However, he is now – without a doubt – the greatest fit for this Arsenal team in terms of leading their attack and drawing out the best in others.

That was made clear by his header to start the game as well as by his movement, hold up play, and deft footwork and touches to connect up with the team’s other attacking stars. The less said, ironically, about the right-footed 12-yard attempt that came from deep five minutes into the second half, the better.

Both players were not signed for the roles they currently occupy. However, these roles appear to be the best options for both guys if Arsenal is to overtake City this season.

3. O’Neil’s audacious strategy
During a significant portion of the previous campaign, Gary O’Neil alternated between three centre backs: Craig Dawson, Max Kilman, and Toti Gomes. As a result, even though Wolves alternated between a back four and a back five throughout games, those three were crucial mainstays. The latter would occasionally drop back to cover for Rayan Ait Nouri, moving out into full-back positions.

O’Neil is committed to taking his team’s growth to the next level this term, seeing it as a higher line, a back four and an additional attacking player on the pitch.

Kilman’s departure and Dawson’s advancing age have forced the Wolves manager to rely on returning Colombian defender Yerson Mosquera and newly-minted Portugal international Toti, who recently returned from an outstanding loan spell at Villarreal, to play together throughout the preseason. Both have the strength, speed, agility, and physicality to defend in broad areas or on the halfway line in addition to being their own penalty box.

O’Neil going with the duo as just that in North London was a bit of a surprise. The Uruguayan international Santiago Bueno was on the bench as well as Dawson.

However, the Wolves manager began with the back four that had been deployed in the summer because he was anxious to provide his team more of an attacking threat in his second season.