The club’s long-awaited comeback to the top flight following a quarter-century absence proved a harsh introduction as they faced last season’s champions in the capital.
Mikel Arteta’s outfit demonstrated their quality immediately, establishing a two-goal advantage within the opening quarter of an hour and adding a third shortly after the interval as Frank Lampard’s squad struggled to contain their opponents.
The visiting side adopted a defensive stance in the early stages, absorbing pressure from corners as the home team sought to establish control.
Coventry managed to resist for approximately a quarter of an hour before Kai Havertz converted a low cross from the edge of the penalty area after being fed by Calafiori’s delivery. Amenda attempted to block but the German forward had sufficient time and space to find the bottom corner past Rushworth.
The north London side appeared to raise their intensity following the breakthrough and doubled their advantage shortly after when another low cross arrived from the left flank. Rushworth managed to push the ball away but it fell conveniently for Saka, who tapped into an empty net.
It was expected that Coventry would spend extended periods without possession as they attempted to contain Arsenal’s fluid attacking play. The visitors dominated the ball with over 63 percent of possession during the first half hour. Coventry’s sole opportunity before the interval arrived in the 43rd minute when Tchaouna’s acrobatic effort sailed over Raya and onto the net’s top.
The problem for the away team was that whenever they maintained their defensive shape, Saka and Tzolis found space on the flanks, and when they tracked those runners, Rice and Odegaard exploited the space in behind with apparent ease.
Odegaard capitalised from close range just four minutes after the restart, meeting a pull-back from near the goal line and his shot deflected off Amenda to wrong-foot Rushworth, leaving the hosts three goals ahead with 49 minutes remaining.
Lampard responded with substitutions, introducing Torp for the booked Yirenkyi in the 62nd minute, while Awoniyi and Rudoni replaced Simms and Thomas-Asante in the 70th. Hamer came on for Tchaouna eight minutes later.
The supporters were pleased to see their returning favourite help stem the tide and prevent a fourth goal on a challenging evening in North London.
City (4-3-3): Carl Rushworth; Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Aurele Amenda, Jay Dasilva: Frank Onyeka, Matt Grimes, Caleb Yirenkyi (62 mins, Victor Torp); Loum Tchaouna (82 mins, Gus Hamer), Ellis Simms (70 mins, Taiwo Awoniyi), Brandon Thomas-Asante (70 mins, Jack Rudoni).
Subs (not used): Ben Wilson (GK), Joel Latibeaudiere, Liam Kitching, Josh Eccles, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto.
Arsenal (4-3-3): David Raya; Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori; Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice (68 mins, Martin Zubimendi), Myles Lewis-Skelly; Bukayo Saka (68 mins, Noni Madueke), Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis.
Subs (not used): Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Piero Hincapie, Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyokeres, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Max Dowman.