Wenger refusing to go to extremes

Arsenal were the biggest winners on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season as Denilson, debutant Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas put them 3-0 up at half-time - with Cesc Fabregas' two second-half goals and a late Eduardo strike completing the rout. Louis Saha grabbed the smallest of consolations for the Toffees.

"Before the game we were seemingly being ruled out by everybody, and now we have won 6-1 there are two very big extremes," said the Frenchman. "We are told we do not have the squad. Well, we want to show that we do have the squad."

Wenger has had to listen all summer to pundits questioning whether his team are good enough to finish in the top four, let alone win the league, following the sale of key players Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure.

"People have been writing us off. But what is important is not what others say, but what we do," the Frenchman said.

"From being told we were not competitive before the game to now being told we are super-favourites is strange. But it is right to say that this is just the first game, and we aim to continue to give our best.

"We have matured, and this is a good basis to continue like that and to show what we want to do."

Everton boss David Moyes said: "There was too much wrong to mention. It was a disappointing result and it has knocked our confidence."