Arsenal begin title challenge with comfortable Wolves win

Arsenal eased to a 2-0 win at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with goals by Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka getting their latest Premier League title challenge up and running on Saturday.

It was far from a fluent display in the summer sunshine, but Mikel Arteta’s side, once again regarded as the team most likely to halt Manchester City’s domination, deserved the points.

Havertz headed in from Saka’s cross in the 25th minute, but the hosts never looked completely comfortable until Saka’s clinical finish doubled their advantage in the closing stages.

Wolves had their chances, with Rayan Aït-Nouri and Rodrigo Gomes both failing to trouble Arsenal keeper David Raya from promising positions when the score was still 1-0.

“I am really happy. With the first game, you have some uncertainty in how you will respond,” Arteta said.

“We had our moment after 1-0 when we were not in control, but after Saka’s goal we were much more comfortable. The way the boys go about their job is unbelievable, so very happy.”

Three months have passed since Arsenal fell just short of their first English title for 20 years on a nerve-jangling final day of the season at home to Everton.

The mood around the Emirates could not have been more relaxed this time in sultry north London — on and off the pitch — as Arsenal won without having to engage all their gears.

Wolves, handing debuts to new signings Jørgen Strand Larsen and Gomes, played the role of well-behaved guests, enjoying a fair share of the ball but threatening little.

Arsenal, runners-up to City for the past two seasons, dominated the opening period and took the lead when Saka was given time to pick out Havertz, who directed his header into the corner to give keeper José Sá no chance.

Carelessness set in, though, for Arsenal, and Wolves came closest to an equaliser when Hwang Hee-Chan’s cross was met by Larsen with a header that Raya did well to keep out.

Arsenal laboured after the break, but the points were safe when Saka, Arsenal’s most dangerous player, cut in from the right and buried a left-foot shot past Sá.

“Saka is unbelievable. There are not a lot of players like him on the planet, and he is still so young,” Havertz said of his colleague.