Arsenal extended their flawless start to the 2026/27 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Xabi Alonso's side made a blistering start, taking the lead through Morgan Rogers after just 77 seconds.
The Gunners hit back, however, with Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard both finding the net to secure all three points for the Premier League champions.
It was Alonso's first defeat since taking charge at Stamford Bridge. The result also meant Chelsea have now shipped seven goals across their opening three league fixtures.
For Mikel Arteta's side, the London derby triumph continued a commanding beginning to the season that has left pundits and rivals alike taking notice.
Gary Neville offered a withering assessment of Chelsea's defensive unit on his podcast, using a memorable analogy to describe their lack of cohesion. "The back three, when I watch them, it's almost like their legs aren't connected to their hips and the hips aren't connected to their bodies. It's almost like they're a bit all over the place," he said.
The former Manchester United defender drew an unflattering comparison with the celebrated Juventus trio of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, whom he regarded as the finest back three he had ever witnessed. That Italian unit, Neville noted, moved as one and understood precisely when to press high or sit deep.
He concluded that Alonso may ultimately need to bring in additional defensive reinforcements over the coming transfer windows to address the issue.
Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, was struck by how formidable Arsenal have looked at the back despite being without one of their most important players. The centre-back William Saliba has yet to feature this season, yet opponents are finding it virtually impossible to breach Arteta's rearguard.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher described the situation as a warning sign for the rest of the division.
"I think the worrying thing for everybody else already is that Saliba, who is genuinely world-class, arguably probably the best centre-back in world football, has not played a minute of football so far this season. And it doesn't look like anyone can score against them," he said.
That Arsenal can maintain such defensive solidity without their first-choice centre-back underlines the depth Arteta has built.
Despite his sharp criticism of the defensive setup, Neville expressed striking confidence in Chelsea's trajectory under Alonso.
"I think they can finish second - third is the absolute lowest I can see Chelsea finishing," he declared, adding: "I'm as positive as I have been for three four five years about Chelsea because I think they're going in the right direction."
He praised the quality of Chelsea's wing-backs Pedro Neto and Jorrel Hato, as well as their midfield and attacking options.
Alonso himself acknowledged the need for improvement at the back.
The Spaniard stressed his side must become "tighter, more clinical, more balanced" but urged patience, pointing out that he only arrived in May and is merely three or four matches into his tenure.
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