Soccer
Martin Odegaard said Arsenal had issued a reminder of their title-winning quality after they fought back to beat Chelsea 2-1 and end their rivals’ perfect start under Xabi Alonso.
Odegaard scored the winner five minutes into the second half on Saturday, finishing with aplomb after Kai Havertz allowed Christos Tzolis’ pass to run into his path.
The Premier League champions had trailed to Morgan Rogers’ volley just 77 seconds in, but a pinpoint finish from Havertz got them level, before Odegaard provided the decisive moment.
They join Manchester City at the top of the early-season table, with last term’s top two being the only sides to win nine points from their first three matches.
It is just the third time the Gunners have started a top-flight season with three straight wins while conceding fewer than two goals (one in this case), after 1924-25, when they finished 20th, and 2003-04, when they completed an unbeaten title-winning campaign.
And after shutout wins over Coventry City and Aston Villa, Odegaard felt it was important for Mikel Arteta’s men to show they can respond to setbacks.
“It was a massive game against a tough opponent. It was really hard for us, but we got there in the end,” he told Sky Sports.
“Our mentality is to keep fighting. Conceding early wasn’t ideal, but we reacted really well. We played well in the second half and got our reward.
“We showed our quality today. The result reflected that.”
Arsenal win again to keep pace with Man City at the top pic.twitter.com/y2vTzFZE2I
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 6, 2026
Odegaard also paid tribute to Havertz for his role in the winning goal, while the German’s own strike was his third against Chelsea in the Premier League since leaving the Blues.
Among all players to represent Chelsea in the competition and then leave, only Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne (five apiece) have scored more goals against them.
“He’s a really smart player and moves so well. He takes defenders’ attention,” Odegaard said of Havertz.
“When he makes the run and I come from behind, I’m always free. It was a brilliant goal.”
In the heart of Arsenal’s defence, Ezri Konsa made his first start since arriving from Aston Villa in a £55m deal.
An offside call against Konsa led to Riccardo Calafiori having a potential equaliser disallowed in the 12th minute, though a more positive moment saw the defender gets fans out of their seats with a hard but fair challenge on former team-mate Rogers in the second half.
“It got the crowd going. If you get it wrong, it is bad but if you get it right, it’s always a good feeling,” Konsa said of that moment.
“On another day, I think we score three or four.
“I’ve felt at home since the first moment I joined, the boys have been top, the staff have been top. I was buzzing to make my debut at home, and the three points were important.”
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