Jamier Vardy's brace threatened to steal the show but Arsenal twice came from behind to beat Leicester City.
Premier League 2017-18 started on Friday and what a start to the season it was. Substitutes Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud scored as Arsenal twice came from behind to beat Leicester City 4-3 on Friday in a thrilling opening Premier League game.
A feast of goals opened the Premier League season as 2015-16 champions Leicester were denied victory in a stunning curtain-raiser at the Emirates. Giroud headed a late winner to guide the Gunners home.
Arsenal's new signing Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette took 94 seconds to make his mark with a header from Mohamed Elneny's curling cross to equal the record for the fastest opening goal in a Premier League season.
The lead lasted barely three minutes before Marc Albrighton's cross from the left was headed back into the middle by Leicester's new signing Harry Maguire and Shinji Okazaki nodded the ball past flailing Arsenal keeper Petr Cech.
Jamie Vardy put the visitors ahead just before the half hour, darting into the box to rifle another fine Albrighton cross past Cech after the winger had pounced on a poor square ball from Arsenal midfielder Mezut Ozil.
But Danny Welbeck had the last word of the first half for the home side when he equalised from close range in added time after new signing Sead Kolasinac's tap forward in a goalmouth melee.
Vardy scored again in the 53rd minute to put Leicester ahead once more, curling Riyad Mahrez's corner into the bottom far corner.
Arsene Wenger's then made the double change that turned the game. Arsenal's kept the pressure up in the final half hour and it paid dividends as FA Cup final hero Ramsey drilled in an 83rd-minute equaliser. Giroud then notched the winner two minutes later with a header that hit the bar and bounced over the line.
The Ramsey-Giroud rescue act spared Arsenal from a fourth season-opening defeat in five campaigns and enabled Wenger to start the season with victory for only the second time in eight years. Last season when Arsenal faced Liverpool in the season opener they had ended up on the losing side another 4-3 thriller.
"We kept going and the spirit of the team was absolutely outstanding," said Wenger after the game.
"Overall we could say we were punished on every single mistake by a Leicester team who were very efficient going forward. We conceded three goals, yes, but we scored four goals as well and the game was of quality."
"We're disappointed to score three and come away with a defeat," said Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare. "But we're not going to be too downhearted."
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