Arsenal won the Community Shield on Sunday after beating rivals Manchester City 3-0, and head coach Mikel Arteta was left impressed by his men’s performance.
Arteta could not hide his excitement and insisted he saw a lot of positive things about his team’s display in the curtain-raiser.
Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title in May, when they lifted the trophy at the Etihad.
The Gunners started the season just like they ended the last, handing Enzo Maresca’s men their first defeat of the campaign.
Arsenal were off to a flying start when Riccardo Calafiori gave them the lead in the opening minute.
Germany international Kai Havertz doubled the Londoners’ advantage on the 28-minute mark before captain Martin Odegaard secured the third goal three minutes after the break.
In a press conference after the game, Arteta said he was impressed with his team’s performance and insisted this was his intention for the upcoming season.
“I am extremely happy with the performance, and with the win. We talked about the desire that we have to start the season and to show ourselves how much we want it, and I saw a lot of positive things there against a top opponent,” the Spaniard said.
He added: “I think today is down to the preparation we did in pre-season, and the decisions that the boys have taken after the World Cup to make sure they’re prepared and wanting to play in this competition.
I was very impressed with the manner that we played and the manner that we competed, so that’s the standard for us. I’m sure that we’re going to be really, really competitive.”
