RELIEF FOR ARTETA AS GUNNERS NICK GLORY

MORE satisfactory than convincing but finally Arsenal are off the mark. This wasn’t vintage, far from it. But that won’t matter much to Mikel Arteta after what has been a torrid start to the campaign.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the hero, with one of the easiest finishes of his career to score his club’s first Premier League goal of the season and secure their first points.

Arsenal can now finally breathe a huge sigh of relief. ‘We are staying up,’ chanted the fans ironically. Arteta responded: ‘I didn’t hear that but if they are saying that in a funny way then we accept it.’ Bigger tests are ahead, of course. Norwich more than held their own but appear destined for another relegation scrap. They are the only side in the top flight without a point after four games.

A trip to Burnley next Saturday will be a sterner test for the Gunners before the north London derby on September 26.

‘Emotionally it was a tough game to play, after three defeats,’ added Arteta.’

The Gunners made a positive start but Aubameyang (left), failed to finish when keeper Tim Krul was caught in no man’s land in the 11th minute and he wasted an even better chance after he was found by Martin Odegaard.

That was as good as it got for Arsenal in the first half. While they didn’t test Aaron Ramsdale on his Premier League debut for the Gunners, Norwich were not without their chances. Kenny McLean wasted a decent aerial opportunity and Teemu Pukki saw an effort blocked.

Had Brandon Williams not produced a goal-saving block to deny Pepe at the back post in the 57th minute the rest of the afternoon would have been far more relaxed for Arsenal.

The natives were becoming restless so Arteta sent for the cavalry: Thomas Partey came on for his first appearance of the season after injury while Emile Smith Rowe was also sent on in the 62nd minute.

And within four minutes it paid off. Bukayo Saka fed Pepe and the Ivorian’s shot was pushed on to the post by Krul before Pepe’s effort from the rebound also hit the upright. Eventually the ball broke to Aubameyang, who scored from a yard out.

But Arsenal had to sweat through a VAR check, Norwich adamant Aubameyang was in an offside position. However, their boss Daniel Farke would not be drawn on the incident after the game.