One goal, two assists and three clean sheets – Riccardo Calafiori is having a big start to the 2026/27 season.

The Italian used all his athleticism to reach the ball for his decisive cross to Bukayo Saka to give us all three points against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

The full-back cannot put his finger on his strong start to the campaign, he’s just delighted we’ve made it three wins from three in all competitions.

“I think it’s impossible [to know the reason for starting the season well],” Riccardo said. “I’m so happy with the clean sheet, especially when I talk with the guys – the defenders – I always say that if we don’t concede, we obviously have much more chance to win the game, and I think we always do so well.

“I’m so tired. At the end of the game, it’s so important for us, especially at a tough place like this one, we just want to win when we come here and we did it.”

Riccardo netted against Manchester City in our Community Shield success before assisting Kai Havertz in our 3-0 win over Coventry to go with his set up for Saka at Villa Park.

“I’m just so happy to pass the ball to B [Saka],” Calafiori said. “As I say, it was a tough, tough game, we need these kind of moments, you know, to change the game – and we did it.”

It’s three clean sheets in a row for us now. The Italian was keen to start getting clean sheets under our belt after failing to keep one during pre-season.

He said: “In pre-season we were upset, I think we conceded too much, but then as the season started, we have all the players back. We fight, and you see today how we do mistakes sometimes, but how we track back with the runs, it’s unbelievable, and each player, even the attackers, so I’m so happy.”

We saw Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa make their Premier League debuts and Richy thinks they’ve settled in quickly in N5.

“I think it’s so easy to settle into our team – it was for me when I arrived – and for them, they’re already much older than me and know the Premier League much better than me so they are prepared and I think they’re good people outside the pitch as well.”