Romelu Lukaku enjoys triumphant Premier League return as Chelsea outclass Arsenal 

Arsenal's Rob Holding (left) and Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku battle for the ball at the Emirates Stadium. Picture: Nick Potts/PA

Arsenal 0 Chelsea 2 

Romelu Lukaku required just 15 minutes to mark his second Chelsea debut with a goal as Arsenal were outclassed in front of their own fans.

The Belgian tapped home from a pass from Reece James, who scored the second himself 10 minutes before half-time.

Lukaku, who had failed to score even once in a first spell at Chelsea that began 10 years ago, returned to the Premier League with the reputation of a world-class frontman having helped Inter Milan to the Serie A crown last term.

And the man who was never quite seen as that while wearing a Manchester United shirt did not disappoint his new team-mates or their supporters, and was denied a late second when his header was tipped on to the crossbar.

Arsenal went into the game with a decent recent record against their London rivals. Granit Xhaka felt the pain early on by getting his head in the way of James' shot but encouragingly for the Gunners Emile Smith-Rowe had already tested Edouard Mendy at the other end.

Mikel Arteta's men were made to look like amateurs in the 15th minute, however, to allow Lukaku a triumphant return to English football with his first contribution to the game.

The €115m man laid the ball off in the build-up and, after Bukayo Saka had allowed James a free run into the right of the box, was in the right place for a tap-in from all of three yards.

It was the sort of finish Timo Werner might have pulled off - assuming the German remembered not to get himself offside - but significantly Lukaku had manhandled his way past Pablo Mari to get there.

The setback hit Arsenal hard. Lukaku headed over before James, racing into space again, set up Mason Mount, whose shot was blocked, instead of the repeat delivery Lukaku demanded.

That was a let-off but there was no reprieve in the 35th minute when Arsenal failed to track James yet again and this time the England man found the net himself with an emphatic finish.

Arsenal claimed Saka had been impeded by James in the Chelsea box just before the break but all they received was a corner.

The Gunners made a bright start to the second period, with Mendy tipping a deflected Saka drive over.

But it wasn't long before Lukaku set Mount up for a decent chance that the England man shanked wide.

The chance Arsenal craved fell to Rob Holding just before the hour mark when Mari headed across the Chelsea box but despite having plenty of goal to aim at the defender nodded wide.

Saka was sacrificed for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang straight after, with the striker having been unable to start after having Covid in recent weeks.

James was hurt and required lengthy treatment before being able to return, and Gunners goalkeeper Bernd Leno pulled off a fine save to palm Lukaku's header onto the crossbar.

The game finished with Chelsea looking every inch title contenders and Arsenal without a single point.