Kai Havertz opened the scoring after 14 minutes, pouncing when Milan van Ewijk was dispossessed near the Coventry City box before Riccardo Calafiori squared for the German to finish first time. Bukayo Saka doubled the lead midway through the half after Christos Tzolis' low cross was pushed straight into his path by goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, and Martin Odegaard added a third moments after the restart, turning in a low ball from Ben White to put the result beyond doubt.
Mikel Arteta was delighted with the manner of the win, telling Match of the Day: "A great performance, a lot to like from the boys. We were so dominant, we had incredible connections, we were really accurate with the ball."
The Arsenal boss acknowledged the threat Coventry posed despite the scoreline.
"They are a really good side, really well-coached and clear in the way they want to hurt you," he said. "We didn't give them chances until the last minutes."
Speaking separately to Sky Sports, Arteta echoed his satisfaction with the performance.
"There was a lot to like, we were really flowing with the ball and connected with each other," he said. "The overall performance was very positive."
He also explained the role of his full-backs pushing forward: "It's in relation to the opponents' behaviour, to try to cause them problems so they're hard for the opponents to handle, they are a big threat in the opponents' box so we need to use them."
Arteta was asked about the club's approach to squad building following the arrival of defender Ezri Konsa this summer.
"It's great. We recruited a great defender, a great personality as well so I am very pleased," he said, before addressing the competition Konsa's signing creates. "We look at the squad as a whole, when they're 28, they're not 38, they're in their prime."
On the intensity Arsenal showed from the opening whistle, Arteta added: "It was really positive, that's what we have been working on and we are going to keep the demands at that level. We have the quality in the squad to do that. We always try to raise the level."
Martin Odegaard, whose goal capped the win, told Sky Sports the opening-day nerves had settled once Arsenal broke the deadlock.
"It was good to get the first one, the first game can be nervy, Coventry played well and gave us a good fight, they have physical players," he said. "After the first goal, we controlled the game a lot more. We look good, still feel like there are things we could have done better, we could be more precise and sharp around the box."
The Norwegian also reflected on the strength in depth pushing him to improve.
"The team's quality is unbelievable, we see that every day in training. The level we compete at in training is unbelievable and we all push each other," he said.
Odegaard has begun the season sharply after a difficult 2025-26 campaign disrupted by injury.
"Last season was a big struggle for me, I had too many injuries and was going in and out of the team," he said. "Sometimes you play not 100% fit, I feel good now and my body is fit, I had a good summer and World Cup."
Told his goal already matched his tally from last season, he laughed: "Thank you for reminding me, top finish I would say. It's been a big focus to be around the box."
It was also a night to remember for Tzolis, whose driven cross created Saka's goal on his Premier League debut for the club. The Greek winger, speaking to Arsenal's official website, said the occasion had lived up to his expectations.
"It was a really nice feeling, to be fair," he said. "It was a great performance from everybody in front of 60,000 people. From the first minute, everybody was ready to win this game. I was very happy to have this performance, and we had a great game, so I'm very, very happy."
Tzolis said the crowd's energy had spurred him on throughout.
"I felt the energy from the fans, especially in the first half. There was a lot of excitement when I had the ball and that gave me motivation to go with confidence in my actions. I felt it today and I hope that will be for the next games as well."
He credited his new team-mates for making his introduction to Arsenal smoother.
"I'm always trying to be involved to help my team and to make the right decisions. My teammates make it easier for me when they finish the actions or give the pass to me. Everything connects with each other," he said.
"Everybody is at a high level and understands each other very quickly. That's a big difference with a big team. When you're champions of England, that means you're at the top level, so everything makes it easier, even for me as a new player, to adapt quickly. Thanks to my teammates, they're at the highest level."
Tzolis previously spent time in the Premier League on loan at Norwich City in 2021-22, and believes that experience eased his return to English football.
"That was a good challenge back then. It was totally different, but I learned a lot of things," he said. "I knew how the Premier League is, how physical it is, and I improved a lot in the last four years when I was at different clubs to be ready and perform at the highest level. I was feeling I had to be physically very strong first and then mentally as well, because it's very important to be mentally ready to play in the Premier League. You learn a lot of stuff back then and now I have to show it."