Lampard makes Arsenal prediction after ‘champions’ performance

Arsenal eased to a comfortable 3-0 victory in their opening Premier League win over Coventry City on Friday night, with their promoted opponents finding themselves on the back foot throughout the match.

With the Gunners winning 3-0 against Manchester City in the Community Shield the previous week, it was perhaps no surprise that they were capable of blowing away a Coventry side finding their feet in the top flight.

That was certainly manager Frank Lampard’s assessment, with the former Chelsea man praising Arsenal’s champion performance and predicting it won’t be the only time they dominate a game in that fashion.

“Big challenge, fantastic team, good lesson for our boys to see the levels,” Lampard said. “[Arsenal] played like champions, and it was a difficult game for us.

“The experience of it is probably good for us, in terms of the stadium, the atmosphere at the start of the game, the quality that they have.

“Arsenal will beat a lot of teams here and play [the way] they do and control the game a lot. I don’t want to judge the lads on that tonight, they deserve better than that.”

As nice as that will be to hear, Mikel Arteta would be well served sending his players a similar message.

Arsenal’s performances have been impressive so far this season, but they’ve played a Manchester City team just back from their holidays and a Coventry City team with little to no Premier League experience.

The trip to Villa Park up next is going to be a whole different challenge, and it doesn’t get much easier in September.

Arsenal will host big-six rivals Chelsea, travel away to Sunderland, and then to Brighton. Three more tough fixtures.

So it’s all well and good blowing away promoted Coventry, but these are unlikely to be the games the team are judged on in May. The hard work continues.