Arsenal up and running, but reality bites for Luton

Arsenal got their Premier League campaign off to a winning start but were given a late fright by Nottingham Forest while Luton Town's return to the top flight went flat as they crashed to a heavy defeat away to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

Champions Manchester City, bidding for a fourth successive title, had sounded a familiar tone the day before with a 3-0 stroll at Burnley and although Arsenal followed suit with a win of their own, they were made to sweat.

Everton, who escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth last season, lost 1-0 at home to Fulham while Crystal Palace earned a 1-0 victory at promoted Sheffield United.

West Ham United drew 1-1 at Bournemouth.

Arsenal's home game was delayed for half an hour because of problems with the ticketing system but once they got going there were few gremlins on the pitch as summer signings Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber all started.

Eddie Nketiah gave the Gunners the lead in the 26th minute before Bukayo Saka found the top corner with a curler from outside the penalty area to put the hosts in cruise control.

But Forest grabbed a goal back in the 83rd minute through Taiwo Awoniyi and pressed for an unlikely point.

Arsenal, who spent 248 days on top of the table last season before collapsing under City's relentless charge, avoided any more hiccups but their victory came at a cost with Timber going off injured with a calf problem.

"Welcome to the Premier League!" Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said of the anxious finish. "We were super dominant, we deserved to win the game, but when we are 2-0 up and you have some chances to kill the game we didn't.

"Running the clock down, in this league, that's a very dangerous thing to do but overall I'm very happy."

Luton's