Kai Havertz headed Premier League title hopefuls Arsenal towards a winning start to the new season with a message to manager Mikel Arteta that he can be his side’s star striker this season.
Arsenal are in the hunt for and being urged to sign a proven goalscorer, but maybe they already have one. The versatile German scored 14 times and served up seven assists in his first season at the club following a big money move from Chelsea last summer.
Many of those goals came from midfield. Arteta, who had played Havertz in midfield for much of pre-season, opted to play him ahead of Gabriel Jesus in the main forward role this time and his tactical move ended up being the difference between the two sides.
That said, Wolves did little to threaten the Arsenal goal aside from a first-half Jorgen Larsen header that was superbly saved by David Raya.Arsenal could and should have scored more before and after Havertz headed in a real goal-poacher’s effort from Bukayo Saka’s 25th minute inch-perfect cross.
And it was Havertz who laid on the chance for Saka to score Arsenal’s sizzling second 74 minutes into the match to kill off any distant hopes of a Wolves comeback.
Havertz is likely to continue in that attacking role as the season progresses and especially if Arsenal complete the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino this transfer window.Arteta’s focus to date has been making the meanest defence in the top flight even harder to score against.
They recorded a club record 18 clean sheets last season and this opening match showed little has changed in the summer break. With fit-both again Belgium star Jurrien Timber and Italy international Riccardo Calafiori both starting on the bench, it showed their strength in depth at the back too.
Arsenal: Raya 8; White 7, Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 7 (Timber 69), Odegaard 7, Partey 7, Rice 6 (Jesus 85), Saka 8 (Trossard 80), Havertz 7, Martinelli 6. Subs: Ramsdale, Nketiah, TJorginho, Nelson, Calafiori, Nwaneri
Wolves: Sa ; Doherty 6, Toti 6, Mosquera 6, Ait-Nouri 6 (Dawson 84), J Gomes 6 (Sarabia 84), Lemina 7, Bellegarde 6 (Cunha 57), R Gomes 6 (Podence 74), Hwang 7, Larsen 6 (Chiquinho 84). Subs: Bentley, Bueno Doyle, Guedes.Referee: Jarred Gillett 6
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