Arsenal claimed what could prove to be an important 2-0 victory away to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Leandro Trossard came off the bench to inspire Mikel Arteta's team to a win, scoring the first goal midway through the second half before playing a key role in the second from Thomas Partey.
David Raya made an incredible save to deny Ollie Watkins with the score at 0-0 before Arsenal assumed control of a game in which they had largely flattered to deceive, certainly in the first half.
Mikel Arteta's side lost both league matches against Villa last season as their Premier League title challenge fell just short, so this feels like a statement win from a team determined to end a two-decade wait to become champions.
The Sporting News assessed the Gunners players on show and evaluated each with a score out of 10. Our ratings are below.
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Arsenal player ratings vs. Aston Villa
David Raya: 7/10
Made a spectacular one-handed save when Watkins should have beaten him with a header. He also coped well with any Villa crosses, although they were few and far between.
Ben White: 6/10
Operated well down the right but was rarely tested one-on-one.
William Saliba: 7/10
Made a terrific first-half interception and generally dealt with Watkins well. His recovery run and tackle to deny Jacob Ramsey deserved the celebration it got.
Gabriel: 6/10
Nearly cost his team a goal in the first half by dithering on the ball and didn't look convincing in possession generally. However, his partnership with Saliba was once again largely impressive.
Jurrien Timber: 6/10
Made some good forays into midfield early on and used the ball well. Solid if unspectacular before being replaced by debutant Riccardo Calafiori.
Martin Odegaard: 6/10
Certainly not at his creative best but his influence grew as the game wore on. He really should have made it 3-0, but he blasted over the bar from 12 yards.
Thomas Partey: 8/10
Coped better than Declan Rice with the threat of Morgan Rogers in a first half in which he was probably Arsenal's best player. He controlled the shot well for his goal, although Martinez should have saved it.
Declan Rice: 5/10
Really struggled against the powerful runs of Rogers and was booked for a cynical foul. Should really have had an assist, but Odegaard wasted the chance.
Bukayo Saka: 6/10
Drew a good save from Martinez in the first half and wasted a good opening in the second, although he looked offside anyway. Got an assist for teeing up Partey.
Kai Havertz: 5/10
Wasted two good opportunities in the first half, one with a poor pass and another with a lacklustre finish. Anonymous in the second.
Gabriel Martinelli: 5/10
A lively outlet in the first 45 minutes but his decision-making was poor. Went off for Trossard, who made an immediate impact.
Leandro Trossard (sub): 8/10
Scored with his first act — and Arsenal's first shot of the second half — after replacing Martinelli. His clever run and cross led to the Gunners' second, and he was a persistent threat from then on.
Riccardo Calafiori (sub): 6/10
Got a late run-out for his Premier League debut after Partey's goal, by which time the game was over.
Mikel Arteta (manager): 7/10
This wasn't a great display from Arsenal for the first hour, and Villa really should have been ahead, but Arteta's decision to bring on Trossard for Martinelli changed the game.
