It was matchday one delight for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal as they ran away with a 2-0 victory over Wolves at a sunny Emirates Stadium.
A goal and assist for both Kai Havertz and Bukayo Sakas ensured the Gunners started the 2024/25 Premier League season with a well-earned three points on the board.
The visitors threatened as the match went on, but lacked the firepower necessary to cause Arsenal serious trouble in the final third.
As it happened
Arsenal kicked off their third successive title charge with a favourable home match against Wolves, who finished 14th last season. This fixture last season produced a nervy affair for Arteta’s side, who conceded to Matheus Cunha in the closing minutes but managed to hold out for a 2-1 win.
Summer signing Rodrigo Gomes started on the left for the visitors having joined the club for around £13m from SC Braga, whilst Celta Vigo loanee Jørgen Strand Larsen led the line for Gary O’Neil’s side. Arsenal’s new addition Riccardo Calafiori watched on from the bench.
It was the Gunners who carved out the first good chance of the afternoon, with Bukayo Saka cutting in from the right-hand side and letting fire at José Sá’s near post, but it was a routine save for the Portuguese goalkeeper.
Arsenal dominated the opening exchanges, continuing to wait patiently for an opening in behind the Wolves defence, and a goal soon followed through striker Kai Havertz.
Embed from Getty ImagesSaka was gifted acres of time and space on the corner of the penalty box and picked out the German, who leapt above the rest to nod home the Gunners’ first goal of the 2024/25 season.
All of the action was flowing down the right flank for Arsenal, with Saka the heartbeat of every attack in red and white during the opening half of football – but it was Wolves who found themselves with a glorious chance at an equaliser.
Strand Larsen directed a header towards goal, but an excellent close-range stop from David Raya ensured his side entered the midway break a goal to the good.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was almost a second for goalscorer Havertz in the 50th minute, but the 25-year-old got his shot horribly wrong and sent the ball flying well wide of the mark.
Yerson Mosquera gave referee Jarred Gillett something to think about following an altercation with Havertz. The Arsenal man brought Mosquera to the ground before the Colombian put a hand around Havertz’s neck, but the officials deemed the interaction legal.
Wolves began to grow into the game in the final half hour, and left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri had an ambitious attempt soar past the post to demonstrate the visitors’ purpose.
It felt as though Arsenal needed a second goal if they were to see out the result, and up stepped Bukayo Saka to make sure of the three points on matchday one.
The England star cut in on his left foot and rifled a near-post effort past a helpless Sá to set a two-goal cushion for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe lineups
ARS: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Partey, Ødegaard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
WOL: Sá; Doherty, Mosquera, Toti, Aït-Nouri; R. Gomes, J. Gomes, Lemina, Bellegarde; Hwang, Strand Larsen
