Arteta plays down perfect Arsenal start

Manager believes Gunners need to add more firepower to sustain impressive form

LONDON:

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is not getting carried away with his side's perfect start to the Premier League season and said they need to add more firepower to sustain this form and mount a serious challenge for the title.

A double from Martin Odegaard and a strike by William Saliba fired Arsenal to a 3-0 win over promoted Bournemouth on Saturday, the first time since 2004 they have opened the season with three successive victories.

Arteta was delighted with the start but added that top spot in the table counted for little this early in the season.

"It's just three games, it doesn't mean anything," the Spaniard told reporters. "What it means is the team is playing really well, we won three games, we're scoring goals, we're keeping clean sheets, the team is playing and performing well, it's competing really well."

Arsenal signed striker Gabriel Jesus and left back Oleksandr Zinchenko in the close season and both have impressed, while defender Saliba has also shone following his return from a loan spell at French side Olympique de Marseille.

Arteta said they were still in the market for new players despite the squad's strong showing in the opening weeks. "We don't like reacting obviously, we want to get the players that we believe will make a big impact in the team. If we can do that, we will try to do that," he said.

"We know as well where we are short, where we have to add more firepower. And if we can do it, we will do it."

Arsenal, who finished fifth last season, next face Fulham at home on Saturday