Destroying Man City, Arteta sends a warning to the rest of the Premier League

Arsenal began their new campaign with a 3-0 win against Man City in the Community Shield, and Mikel Arteta's post-match statement was more remarkable than the result: the champions are not content yet.

It didn't take long for Arsenal to show how they entered the new season.

Just after 24 seconds, Riccardo Calafiori put the Gunners ahead against Man City. Kai Havertz doubled the lead before Martin Odegaard sealed the 3-0 win early in the second half.

An almost perfect match for Arsenal against an opponent that was once the biggest benchmark in the Premier League race. But for Mikel Arteta, what pleased him most was not simply the three goals. It was how Arsenal played like true hunters.

“We talked about the desire at the start of the season and wanted to prove to ourselves how much we wanted this. I was really impressed with the way the whole team played, especially how we competed. That must be the standard of Arsenal”, Arteta shared after the match.

This can be seen as the first warning Arsenal sends to the rest of the Premier League. After ending a 22-year wait for the English title last season, the Gunners showed no signs of entering the new season with the mindset of a team that has achieved its goal.

“I want to relive that moment and experience even greater moments. We know what it takes, and we understand how difficult the task is.”.

Arteta especially emphasized that defending the title would require Arsenal to create something “special”. In the club's history, the Gunners have never successfully defended the Premier League title since the competition was named as such, and the last time Arsenal won back-to-back English titles was over 90 years ago, in the 1933/34 and 1934/35 seasons.

Therefore, the victory over Man City holds greater significance than a Community Shield. Arsenal showed they still maintain the intensity, aggression, and especially the spirit of their title-winning season. Arteta even cited the players' ability to drop back and support the defense as evidence of that desire.

“The way the whole team ran back to defend was incredible, especially when your fitness isn't at its best. When you put your heart and soul into a reactive situation, that's what happens.”, Arteta said.

Not only fighting spirit, Arsenal also showed considerable depth in expertise. Christos Tzolis left his mark on all three goals and was especially praised by Arteta for his decision-making in the final third.

Odegaard also marked his return with a goal after a previous season disrupted by various fitness issues. Meanwhile, Calafiori not only scored but continued to prove his potential to become a defender with great influence on the attack.

Even after beating Man City 3-0, Arteta confirmed that Arsenal are still looking for additional options to strengthen the defense before the transfer window closes.

All of this creates a fairly clear message. Arsenal are not entering the 2026/27 season to bask in last season's glory. And if the demolition of Man City in Cardiff is truly the “standard” that Arteta has set, the rest of the Premier League has received a warning just before the first round of fixtures.