Midway through the second half at the Emirates, Martin Ødegaard collected the ball on the inside of the right flank and slipped a clever pass to Kai Havertz. Havertz’s deft flick set up a surging Bukayo Saka, who took a low shot at Chelsea keeper Emiliano Martínez. The goalkeeper managed to parry the effort away from the post, but the fluid sequence was emblematic of the Gunners' renewed attacking vigor after three straight victories that have left them perched on maximum points. Before kickoff most of the pre‑match chatter centred on Chelsea's newly assembled front three – João Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer – and how Mikel Arteta would try to neutralise them.
The early drama seemed to confirm those worries when Rogers struck a thunderbolt just 77 seconds in, silencing the crowd. Yet Arsenal quickly regained composure, demonstrating that their own forward line can dictate terms even without the marquee signings that many pundits have been clamouring for. Rogers is one of several high‑profile attackers who slipped past Arsenal in the summer, joining the likes of Vinícius Júnior and Julián Álvarez.
Despite those departures, the Gunners have shown that the combination of Ødegaard, Havertz and Saka can still elevate the team to a higher plane. The key, as Arteta has repeatedly stressed, is simply to keep those three fit and on the pitch – a luxury that injuries denied them for large parts of the previous two campaigns.
This match marked the first occasion since December 2024 that the trio started three consecutive Premier League games together. The decisive moments came from the partnership of Ødegaard and Havertz. After Havertz had levelled the score with a precise strike from the edge of the box that curled into Martínez's near post, Ødegaard later collected a dummy from Havertz and calmly slotted home the winner.
Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville praised the duo, declaring them Arsenal's two best performers of the afternoon, while Saka also earned a standing ovation for his relentless work on the right wing, repeatedly taking on defenders and creating space for his teammates. The broader narrative surrounding Arsenal this season has been the unanswered question of whether the club should splurge on a marquee forward.
The transfer window saw several attempts to bring in a high‑profile striker, but none materialised, leaving fans to wonder if a big signing is still required. In reality, the club can mitigate the shortfall by preserving the health of its current attacking nucleus. When Ødegaard, Havertz and Saka stayed fit for the full 2023/24 campaign, Arsenal smashed a club record by netting 91 league goals, a benchmark the current squad is already approaching.
Ødegaard, in particular, appears to have rediscovered a goal‑scoring instinct that was missing last season. The Norwegian captain, who managed only a single goal in 36 appearances the previous term, now boasts three winners in his first four games of the new campaign. Arteta highlighted the transformation, noting that the midfielder's confidence is at an all‑time high and that he feels a personal need to prove himself after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The captain’s increased presence in the box – evident from his recent strike that mirrored his Community Shield goal – underscores a tactical shift that sees him arriving late into the penalty area to finish moves.
The chemistry among the three attackers is equally important. In the Chelsea game, Ødegaard recorded ten passes to Saka and seven to Havertz, illustrating a clear pattern of inter‑linkage. Their understanding goes beyond simple ball‑to‑ball exchanges; Havertz’s off‑the‑ball runs often draw defenders away, creating pockets of space for Ødegaard to exploit. As the midfielder explained to Sky Sports, Havertz’s intelligent movement “takes defenders’ attention, and when I arrive from behind I’m often free.” Arteta echoed this sentiment, saying that when the trio’s synergy clicks, it produces a level of dynamism and intent that is exhilarating to watch.
Havertz, who also sits on three goals in four matches, has become a versatile asset – an aerial threat, a runner in behind, and a link‑up player who helps the midfield transition into attack. Jamie Carragher, another Sky Sports pundit, remarked that displacing Havertz from Arsenal’s line‑up would require a world‑class talent, underscoring his importance to the side.
Collectively, the three have accounted for all six of Arsenal’s goals after three league fixtures, but the victory over Chelsea also highlighted contributions from other squad members. Players such as Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis added fluidity in the final third, with Havertz frequently drifting to the right, Saka interchanging positions, and the entire front line displaying a “layer of dynamism, threat, intent and aggression,” as Arteta described. Chelsea, on the other hand, struggled to cope with the Gunners’ constant movement. Even before the second goal, Arsenal repeatedly found space behind the Blues’ back line, exploiting the half‑space where Ødegaard and Saka thrive.
The resulting pressure forced Chelsea into a defensive posture they could not escape. Looking ahead, the primary challenge for Arteta will be to maintain the fitness of his attacking core. The injury‑plagued seasons of 2022/23 and 2023/24 serve as stark reminders of how quickly a team can lose its potency when key players are sidelined. While the allure of a blockbuster signing remains, Arsenal can, for now, revel in the form displayed by Ødegaard, Havertz and Saka – a trio that is already proving capable of leading the club back to the top of the Premier League table.