Player Ratings: Arsenal 2-0 Wolves 

Arsenal started the 2024-25 Premier League season with a comfortable 2-0 victory after easing past Wolves at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka sealed a deserved victory as the Gunners aim to make it third time lucky after two successive runners-up finishes. 

Find out who else impressed with our Gooner Fanzine Player Ratings 

GK: David Raya - 7.5/10 - Outstanding save from Jorgen Strand Larsen's header late in the first half that showed excellent agility that also underlined his progress between the sticks at Arsenal. Not particulary busy otherwise but, as, all the best keepers do, he was ready when called upon, when saving from Matheus Cunha and Pablo Sarabia late on. Deserved clean sheet to start the new season

RB: Ben White - 7.5/10 - Effective when stepping into midfield and solid at the back. Fired an eearly chance wide

CB: William Saliba - 6.5/10 - Purred through the match with no hangover from Euro 2024. Despite a rare error in handing Matheus Cunha a chance, the classy French centre-back is a world class talent who still has plenty of space to improve. A frightening thought even.

CB: Gabriel - 7.5/10 - Solid and reliable while also attempting to prompt attacks by playing out from the back

LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko - 6/10 - Stepped up his performances in pre-season with Riccardo Calafiori breathing down his neck. More effective when stepping into midfield

DM: Thomas Partey - 6/10 - Laboured at times, and not particulary imrpessive when slowing the tempo during embryonic attacks but still efficent in his defensive duties even if ceded possession on rare occasions

CM: Declan Rice - 6/10 - Understandably looked jaded after his summer exertions with England, but still battled  hard. Limped off after what looked like cramp. Let's hope that's all it is

CM: Martin Odegaard - 7/10 - So easy on the eye. Does the simple things so stylishly in terms of passing and moving. Not his most effective match creatively, but then again, with such talented colleagues around him, it didn't matter against a limited Wolves side 

RW: Bukayo Saka - 8/10 - A reassuringly lively performance that Arteta likened to Messi. No highere praise. His movement and crossed including for Havertz's opener, were outstanding. Scored a superb goal when coming inside to fire past Sa's near post to get his account off the mark already for 2024-25. A huge season ahead for the 22-year-old

ST: Kai Havertz - 8/10 - Excellent header for Arsenal's first goal of the season after a brave late run into a crowded box to head past Sa for 1-0. Worked hard leading the line up top, while also providing an assist for Saka's strike. A good day all round for the Arsenal striker - even if the squad requires another top quality striker to complete the team

LW: Gabriel Martinelli - 6/10 - Lively but not as effective as he would have liked 

Substitutes

Jurrien Timber (69' for Zinchenko) - 6.5/10: Good to see the former Ajax defender back in action after a long year out. As underlined by the tremendous reception the crowd gave the 23-year-old when he came on. Showboated early on prior to lsoing posession. We'll forgive him moment as the player must have been keen to show his talent after a frustrating 12 months on the sidelines 

Leandro Trossard (80' for Saka) - 7/10

Gabriel Jesus (85' for Rice) - 6/10 - Booked for reacting to having his bum pinched

Subs not used: Aaron Ramsdale (GK),

Riccardo Calafiori,

Ethan Nwaneri,

Jorginho,

Reiss Nelson,

Eddie Nketiah