One of the reasons Arsenal spent £260 million in the summer transfer window was to increase the depth of their squad, avoiding repeating the scenario of last season that was devastated by injuries.
And the resounding 5-0 win over Leeds United is both a testament to the excitement of this investment and a reminder that the test could come sooner than expected.
The positive atmosphere at the Emirates began right before the match. Eberechi Eze officially debuted to the warm welcome of fans, becoming Arsenal's seventh rookie this summer after a £67.5 million deal from Crystal Palace. Eze's refusal to accept Tottenham to wear the shirt of his fan club since he was a child made him an immediate "hero".
On the pitch, Jurrien Timber made his mark with a double from set pieces - affirming that Arsenal's strength has helped Arsenal become a formidable threat over the past several seasons. Bukayo Saka also contributed with a classy finish, while Viktor Gyokeres - the most anticipated signing for the centre-forward position - also " shoots" twice.
Another highlight comes from young talent Max Dowman. At the age of 15 years and 234 days, he became the second youngest Arsenal player to play in the Premier League. In 26 minutes on the pitch, Dowman made his mark with a technical dribble that caused Anton Stach to commit a foul in the penalty area, bringing a penalty to the home team.
That is reminiscent of the two pre-season friendlies against Newcastle and Villarreal, when Max Dowman also cleverly earned penalties with smart moves. This time, Gyokeres was the one who successfully performed on the 11m mark, ending an explosive evening at the Emirates.
The appearance of young faces and new recruits has given Arsenal a new breeze. "Congratulations to everyone who was involved in that deal (Eze). I think it created a wave, a fire at the stadium.
It was great to see that. You can clearly feel the special atmosphere before the match. We have to be very proud of how the whole team controls the game," Arteta said after the match.
However, Arteta also admitted that the biggest challenge at the moment is how to control expectations for Dowman if the 15-year-old player continues to shine.
"We need to observe how he reacts, how he handles situations. What is clear is that his teammates trust him, the proof is that they keep passing the ball to him. It was great that just a small change was enough to explode the atmosphere on the pitch.
He brought home a penalty in his debut match at the Emirates, which was incredible. I have never seen a 15-year-old player enter the pitch, confidently playing football immediately and making such a strong impact" - the Spanish captain added.
However, there were still gray colors behind Arsenal's resounding victory. Captain Odegaard was forced off in the 38th minute due to a shoulder injury, despite trying to play a few more minutes after the initial collision.
Saka also practiced leaving the field just 8 minutes after the second half started, with the problem considered more serious. Ben White and Christian Norgaard are still sidelined, while Kai Havertz has just joined the list of injured players due to a knee injury.
All of this puts Arsenal at risk of having to assemble a completely new attack for their stormy away trip to Anfield, where they face defending champions Liverpool in the next round.
Although the severity of the injuries is unknown, Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and possibly Eze will likely carry the "Gunners" attack.
The confrontation at Anfield is therefore not only a measure of Arsenal's ambition to win the Premier League, but also the first test of the depth of the £260 million squad they have just built this summer.
