Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s performance in Sunday’s statement 2-1 victory over Chelsea showed that they can become even better than last season’s title-winning model.

Goals by Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard, after Morgan Rogers had scored for Chelsea in the second minute, ensured a third win from three games for Arsenal.

After an easy win against promoted Coventry City and a 1-0 grind at Aston Villa, however, this was the most impressive as Arsenal ripped into the visitors.

“I think it was an exceptional performance. I enjoyed every minute of it from the beginning to the end, and the beginning was tough,” Arteta told reporters.

“I enjoyed it because the team reacted spectacularly. The conviction, the determination, the quality that I intend to have them constantly, it was beautiful.

“It’s an indication for us of how capable we are to perform at an even higher level than last season, and it depends on how we maintain and sustain that desire.”

Arsenal did not beef up their forward options in a relatively quiet transfer window, with Brazilian duo Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard departing.

But with Havertz, Odegaard and Bukayo Saka all looking sharp and new signing Christos Tzolis again producing some eye-catching moments out wide, Arsenal looked a real threat.

Norwegian Odegaard, in particular, looks back to his best after last season’s injury disruptions.

“Odegaard has a point to prove from last season after missing so much football,” Arteta said. “When that happens, Kai [Havertz] the same, Bukayo [Saka] the same, we missed so many attacking players last season for long, long periods.

“I don’t know how many times those two have played together in the last year or so, but probably not much, and when you start to feel the chemistry they have between them and what they can produce, it’s great.”

Arsenal and Manchester City are now the only two teams with a 100% record in the Premier League, while Chelsea’s impressive start under new manager Xabi Alonso got a reality check as they dropped their first points under the Spaniard.

His side have now conceded seven goals in three games, and while they look a threat in attack, there is clearly work to do at the other end of the pitch.

“We want to start having clean sheets; they will come,” Alonso said. “The players are committed to working hard, to knowing that we’re on the way to compete in each game.

“Not happy that we couldn’t get anything, but we need to keep calm and carry on.”

Arsenal fightback

Chelsea spent an extraordinary summer making 11 signings for a total of 349 million pounds and selling 17 players as part of yet another rebuild under yet another manager.

Arsenal’s close season, on the other hand, was one of stability, and Arteta’s side quickly found the rhythm and efficiency that took them to their first title in 22 years.

They did concede their first goal of the season though, meaning promoted Hull City now boast the only perfect defensive record after three games of the campaign.

England midfielder Rogers, a 117 million-pound ($158.20 million) signing from Aston Villa, stunned the home faithful as he swung his right foot at a dropping ball and volleyed it past Raya.

The goal made Chelsea the first team in Premier League history to score inside the first five minutes of their first three games of the season and lit the fuse for a breathless opening period on a balmy afternoon in north London.

Arsenal thought they had levelled shortly afterwards when Riccardo Calafiori bundled in after Ezri Konsa’s effort had come back off the post in a goalmouth scramble, but a VAR check adjudged Konsa to have been offside.

The hosts swarmed forward though, and Saka was denied by Emiliano Martinez. Chelsea’s rearguard creaked and then buckled in the 25th minute when their former striker Havertz cut in from the right and his low left-foot shot crept in past Martinez.

Chelsea’s counter-attacking style almost rewarded them in first-half stoppage time as Pedro Neto’s shot hit the post.

Arsenal began the second half strongly and grabbed the lead when Tzolis’ ball in from the left was dummied by Havertz and Odegaard planted a shot high into the net.

The points never looked totally secure for Arteta’s side, and it needed Raya to turn over Estevao’s dipping effort to ensure their 100% start continued.