Arsenal opened their preseason programme in style on Saturday, beating Girona 4-1 at the Estadi Montilivi in Catalonia in a friendly that gave Mikel Arteta an early look at both his big-money summer arrival and his most talked-about academy prospect.
Kai Havertz put the Gunners ahead inside 16 minutes, finishing off a move started by 16-year-old Max Dowman, who turned away from his marker before slipping the German through on goal.
Christos Tzolis doubled the lead in the first half with a deflected finish on his full debut, a tidy start for the Greece international signed this summer from Club Brugge for a reported £34m as Arsenal's replacement for Leandro Trossard, who left for Besiktas.
Girona, preparing for their own La Liga season, briefly threatened a comeback early in the second half when Arnau Martinez headed home from close range to make it 2-1 and give the home crowd something to cheer.
Arsenal responded within minutes. Dowman, again at the centre of things, struck a powerful effort from outside the box to restore the two-goal cushion, before Gabriel Jesus added a fourth shortly after to put the result beyond doubt.
The teenager's display — a goal and an assist inside a little over an hour on the pitch — was the standout individual performance of the afternoon, with Arteta using the second half to rotate heavily and give academy players extended minutes against senior opposition.
It was the first of four preseason fixtures for Arsenal, who face Real Betis in Dublin on Wednesday, host Como at the Emirates on August 12, meet Manchester City in the Community Shield in Cardiff on August 16, and open their Premier League campaign at home to Coventry City on August 21.
For a club that has spent heavily this summer, a comfortable win laced with goals from a new signing and a homegrown teenager was an encouraging opening statement, even if the true examination of Arteta's squad will only come once the competitive season begins.
