Arsenal concluded their pre-season preparations with a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Goals from Viktor Gyokeres, Bukayo Saka, and Kai Havertz ensured Mikel Arteta’s side head into the new Premier League campaign with momentum.
Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring with his first goal for the club since his £64m move from Sporting Lisbon. The Swedish striker powered a header past Unai Simon after latching onto a cross from fellow new signing Martin Zubimendi.
Just two minutes later, Arsenal doubled their lead. Martin Odegaard chipped a pass over the Athletic defence for Gabriel Martinelli, who controlled the ball and squared it to Bukayo Saka for a simple tap-in. The tempo dropped after the restart, but Kai Havertz added a late third to seal a comfortable win and lift the Emirates Cup.
The victory ends an inconsistent pre-season for Arsenal, who now turn their attention to the Premier League opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. Arteta will hope the performance builds confidence as his side aim to improve on three consecutive second-placed finishes.
