The Gunners defence hadn’t previously been breached in this campaign, but it took less than two minutes for Chelsea to find a way through, with Morgan Rogers guiding in a precise volley after some pinball from a free-kick.
That goal was significant, as it made Chelsea the first PL side ever to score inside the opening five minutes in each of their first three league games.
But the psychological boost from that emphatic start didn’t last, and a dead ball of their own nearly gave Arsenal an immediate response. Odegaard produced a clever near-post delivery, but Riccardo Calafiori couldn’t make convincing contact, and Emiliano Martinez held on despite a nasty-looking kick to the head from a fortunate Gabriel Magalhaes.
Martínez was less authoritative at the next set piece, though, and Calafiori thought he’d levelled it when he pounced on the loose ball, but VAR spotted that Ezri Konsa had applied a touch from an offside position, and correctly chalked it off.
The hosts continued to push regardless, and Bukayo Saka tested the goalkeeper at his near post with a fizzing effort, but Cole Palmer and Reece James kept David Raya honest at the other end with a pair of decent strikes from range.
Even so, an equaliser seemed on the cards, and it eventually came through former Blues forward Kai Havertz, who squeezed an effort past an unconvincing Martínez.
Chelsea almost got their noses in front again before the break, but Pedro Neto’s effort hit the post after Joao Pedro’s brilliant pass launched a lightning-quick breakaway.
The champions stepped things up a notch in the second half, and just five minutes after the restart, Odegaard ghosted into the box to put them in front after a clever Havertz dummy.
The German showed his old employers what they were missing by bringing out his whole range of tricks, producing an inventive flick into the path of Saka, who forced a good save from Martínez to keep the visitors in the contest.
The West Londoners managed to manufacture one final chance to salvage a point, but Raya did brilliantly to keep out an equally impressive effort from substitute Estevao Willian, securing the win in the process.
The result means Arsenal have begun their PL campaign with three successive victories for just the second time in 22 seasons, while extending their unbeaten run against Chelsea to 12 matches (W9, D3).
Despite a positive start for Xabi Alonso in his new role, he will be concerned to have already conceded seven goals – the worst record of any side in the top 10.
The Blues’ wait for a clean sheet has also grown to 19 games, stretching back to former manager Liam Rosenior’s first game in charge.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
