Mikel Arteta warns Premier League rivals as Arsenal reach higher level than last season after Chelsea win

Arsenal boss believes his side is already showing signs of evolving beyond the standards they set during their historic title-winning campaign last term. Following a statement 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Sunday, the Spaniard was adamant that his squad possesses the hunger to reach even greater heights. Despite falling behind to an early Morgan Rogers strike in the second minute, goals from Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard turned the tide, securing a vital three points that leaves the Gunners alongside Manchester City as the only teams with a perfect record after three matches.

Reflecting on the nature of the performance, Arteta was full of praise for the way his players handled the early adversity against Xabi Alonso’s side. "I think it was an exceptional performance. I enjoyed every minute of it from the beginning to the end, and the beginning was tough," Arteta said. "I think it's an indication for us of how capable we are to perform at an even higher level than last season, and it depends on how we maintain and sustain that desire, that humbleness and continue every day to try to find a better version of myself and the team. We still have a lot to grow and a lot to offer, and this is the ambition of the team."

While the North London club had a relatively quiet summer transfer window in terms of incoming strikers—choosing to allow the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard to depart—their offensive fluidity appears to be reaching a new peak. The combination of Havertz, Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka caused constant problems for the Chelsea backline, while new signing Christos Tzolis added a fresh spark of creativity from the flanks.

The manager specifically pointed to the growing understanding between his creative pivots as a reason for optimism. "Odegaard has a point to prove from last season after missing so much football," Arteta noted. "When that happens, Kai the same, Bukayo the same, we miss so many attacking players last season for long, long periods. I don't know how many times they've played together those two in the last year or so, but probably not ​much, and when you start ​to feel the chemistry ⁠they have between them and what they can produce, it's great."

For Chelsea, the defeat represented a significant reality check following a bright start under the management of former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso. Despite the frustration of dropping their first points of the season, Alonso remained defiant and urged his squad to stay focused on the long-term project at Stamford Bridge.

"We want to start having clean sheets, they will come. The players are committed to working hard, to knowing that we're on the way to compete in each game. Not happy that we couldn't get anything but we need to keep calm and carry on," Alonso noted.

The victory marks a significant shift in gear for Arsenal, who followed up a comfortable opening win against Coventry City and a gritty narrow victory at Aston Villa with a performance of genuine tactical maturity. Arsenal now prepare to get their Champions League campaign underway with a solid start at Napoli on Wednesday. However, the squad isn't without its concerns, as Cristhian Mosquera was a notable absentee from the matchday squad against Chelsea. Arteta provided a brief update on the defender’s condition, saying: "He had a muscular issue, and we think it's not too much, but we need to wait and see in the next few days how this evolves."