Arsenal’s Record on Premier League Opening Day: Best and Worst Results

Starting strong is of paramount importance to the Premier League’s title contenders, with Arsenal among those expected to begin with a win each term.

As Premier League ever-presents, the Gunners have experienced the pressure of the opening day since 1992–93. While they have been overwhelmingly successful on matchday one over the past three decades, there are blips on their record.

Even the legendary Arsène Wenger suffered his fair share of heartbreak in opening day fixtures, with no manager immune from an early slip—including current boss Mikel Arteta.

Here is Arsenal’s record in their opening Premier League fixtures.

Arsenal’s Opening Day Record—Premier League

The 2025–26 campaign is Arsenal’s 122nd league season, with the Gunners having won 57, drawn 23 and lost 41 of their 121 openers. Only 33 of those fixtures have been during the Premier League era, with 19 victories, six draws and eight defeats.

Their recent record under Mikel Arteta has been impressive, with four victories from five opening day matches under the Spaniard. Bar one shock defeat to Brentford in 2021–22, Arsenal have secured convincing wins over Fulham, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Draws were relatively common for Arsenal during the early days of the Premier League, but the north Londoners haven’t been involved in an opening day stalemate since a goalless draw with Sunderland in 2012–13. Rather surprisingly, the Gunners have achieved higher average league finishes when being held on the opening day than when they have been victorious or beaten.

Arsenal’s Best Opening Day Results in the Premier League

Arsenal have enjoyed their biggest ever opening day victory since the birth of the Premier League, with Wenger’s side managing an astounding 6–1 win over Everton at Goodison Park in 2009–10. Cesc Fàbregas bagged a second-half brace after the Gunners had strolled to a three-goal lead by the half-time whistle.

Goodison had been a happy hunting ground for Arsenal five years previous as they managed an eye-catching 4–1 win over the Toffees at the start of the 2004–05 season. An all-star quartet of Dennis Bergkamp, José Antonio Reyes, Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires were on the scoresheet that day.

Middlesbrough were another side who shipped four goals to Arsenal on the opening day back in 2001–02, although they were unable to even find a consolation. That victory went on to set the tone for the Gunners as they made their way to the Premier League title.

Arteta’s Arsenal enjoyed a handsome 3–0 win away at fellow Londoners Fulham in 2020–21 as Willian starred on his debut against his future employers. The Brazilian notched two assists as goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saw Arsenal saunter to victory.

Arsenal’s Worst Opening Day Results in the Premier League

Arsenal made the nightmare start to the Premier League era as they stumbled to a 4–2 defeat to Norwich City in their first match in the competition. The Gunners were two goals to the good heading into the latter stages of the fixture, but four strikes in the space of just 14 minutes guided the Canaries to a famous win at Highbury.

Arsenal followed up their Norwich humiliation by conceding three unanswered goals to Coventry City on the opening day of the following season, with Micky Quinn’s hat-trick condemning the Gunners to another miserable home defeat.

The capital side lost three openers in four seasons between 2013 and 2017—all of which came on home soil. Aston Villa’s 3–1 victory at the Emirates Stadium was followed by 2–0 and 4–3 wins for West Ham United and Liverpool respectively.

One of Arsenal’s most embarrassing opening day moments came under Arteta in the aforementioned defeat to Brentford. The newly-promoted Bees beat their lifeless visitors 2–0 courtesy of goals from Sergi Canós and Christian Nørgaard—the latter now playing for Arsenal.