Arsenal have made a perfect start to their Premier League title defence, winning all three of their opening matches. The latest victory, a 2-1 comeback against Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium, confirms their strong early-season form as reported by The Guardian Football this week.

League standing: 2nd in Premier League, 9 pts, 3W-0D-0L from 3 games, recent form WWW. They have scored six goals and conceded just one, giving them a healthy +5 goal difference. Their next test is an away fixture against Sunderland, who are 12th, on September 12.

How have Arsenal won their first three games?

Mikel Arteta's side began the campaign with a solid 1-0 win over Coventry City. They followed that with a hard-fought victory against Aston Villa, where increased pressure in the 15 minutes after half-time proved decisive. The most significant result so far came against Chelsea. Thomas Tuchel's team took the lead, but Arsenal equalised and then found a winner, showing resilience after conceding their first goal of the season. Goalkeeper David Raya secured the points with a late save from Chelsea's Estevão.

Which players are driving this early form?

Captain Martin Ødegaard is already in fine scoring touch. After netting just once in an injury-disrupted previous season, he has two league goals and one in the Community Shield this term. He has combined effectively with mercurial midfielder Kai Havertz to create chances. Bukayo Saka, now 25, brings consistent threat, making his 205th Premier League start this season. His quality was underlined by a hat-trick in England's World Cup third-place match, a tournament where Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel had omitted him from the semi-final squad. Declan Rice, last season's player of the year, remains a dominant presence, though he was fortunate not to be penalised for a cynical late tackle on Morgan Rogers.

What are the remaining questions for the squad?

While the attack is firing, some defensive questions persist, particularly on the left flank. New signing Riccardo Calafiori, who scored in the Community Shield, is developing a promising partnership with Christos Tzolis, but the unit is still finding its balance. The team's overall fitness and sharpness appear improved, a factor in their strong starts to matches. Fans can track the squad's availability and performance data on the club's squad and stats pages.

What comes next in the fixture schedule?

Arsenal's immediate focus shifts to the upcoming match at the Stadium of Light. After that, the schedule shows a quick return fixture against Aston Villa away and another home game with Chelsea, suggesting this early momentum will be vital. The full run of games is available on the official fixtures page. With no international break yet to disrupt rhythm, Arteta will be eager to maintain this positive flow. The Gunners face Sunderland on September 12.