EPL: KONSA HAILS FANS, TEAMMATES AFTER IMPRESSIVE EMIRATES DEBUT AGAINST CHELSEA

Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa has praised the club’s supporters and his teammates after making an impressive Emirates Stadium debut in Sunday’s 2-1 comeback victory over Chelsea.

The summer signing from Aston Villa said he felt comfortable at the club from the moment he arrived and enjoyed making his first appearance at the Emirates.

Konsa was outstanding in the heart of Arsenal’s defence, contesting 12 duels and winning eight, his best figures in a Premier League match since December 2024.

The 28-year-old formed an effective partnership with Gabriel as Arsenal recovered from an early setback to secure another league victory.

One of his standout moments came when he dispossessed Chelsea forward Morgan Rogers during a counter-attack, drawing a huge reaction from the Emirates crowd.

Rogers, who previously played alongside Konsa at Aston Villa and remains a close friend, was shown no special treatment once the match began.

“He is a good friend of mine, but on the pitch, it’s a different story. I saw the opportunity to go in and make the tackle, and it came off,” Konsa said.

The defender also praised the Arsenal supporters for their role in the comeback, describing his first London derby as a memorable experience.

“I really enjoyed the occasion. My first London derby and I thought the fans were fantastic, superb. They stayed behind us throughout the whole game; without them, these games are impossible,” he said.

Arsenal fell behind early when Rogers opened the scoring for Chelsea, but Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard responded with goals to complete the comeback.

The victory also extended Arsenal’s perfect start to the Premier League season, with the club maintaining a 100 per cent record.

Konsa said Arsenal’s response to conceding so early showed the strength and mentality within the squad.

“Conceding so early isn’t great, and I know we take a lot of pride here in keeping clean sheets, but I thought the reaction was second to none, it was fantastic,” he said.

He added that the team’s ability to recover demonstrated its character and determination.

“It just goes to show the character and the mentality of this team,” Konsa said.

Having joined Arsenal only a few weeks ago, Konsa said he had already settled quickly into his new surroundings.

“I felt right at home from day one. The boys have been top, the staff have been top,” he said.

The England international also expressed his appreciation for manager Mikel Arteta’s tactical approach, saying Arsenal’s style of play suits him.

“Like I said before in previous interviews, this style really suits me, I love the boss’ way of playing,” Konsa said.

He believes the quality within the Arsenal squad has also helped make his transition easier.

“The amount of quality that we have and the amount of quality I have around me makes things easier,” he added.

Despite Arsenal’s impressive start, Konsa urged his teammates to remain focused and avoid becoming complacent.

“I think it’s important you go into different games with confidence. We’ve started really well, but it’s still early days,” he said.

“We’re going to take it game by game and day by day.”

Konsa made his Arsenal debut last week against his former club Aston Villa at Villa Park, coming on for the final 11 minutes in the 1-0 victory.

His impressive performance against Chelsea has now given Arsenal another positive sign following his arrival from Aston Villa.