Mikel Merino showed his makeshift striker skills once again in place of the injured Viktor Gyokeres as his double sent Arsenal top of the Champions League via a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague.
Gyokeres’ injury concerned Mikel Arteta but his woes were eased by the Spaniard striking twice in the second half – on a night when Arsenal also entered the defensive history books.
An eighth clean sheet in a row equals a club record for consecutive shutouts set in the 1903/04 season, while this Arsenal team have become the first English side to win their first four games in this competition without conceding since Leeds United in the 1969/70 European Cup.
Those records were under threat in the early stages amid a raucous atmosphere. Arsenal were sloppy in possession as the hosts dominated the opening 20 minutes, with Lukas Provod firing their best chance wide from a good area.
But Arsenal slowed down the momentum and stepped onto the game. Bukayo Saka was denied three times by goalkeeper Jakub Markovic – before he eventually got his chance – and it came via a corner.
Bukayo Saka fires Arsenal in front from the penalty spot
Saka’s delivery aimed for Gabriel but struck Provod on the arm and VAR helped give a penalty by sending the referee to the monitor. The Arsenal winger dispatched his spot-kick with ease.
From that point, Arsenal knew they would go on to win. They got their second 36 seconds after half-time as Leandro Trossard’s cross found Merino completely unmarked and he had a simple finish.
Merino was at it again as Markovic came and failed to grab Declan Rice’s ball into the box, with the Spaniard getting there first to nod home.
Arsenal were home and dry and even brought on Max Dowman, who became the youngest Champions League player at 15 years and 308 days old – with 17-year-old forward Andre Harriman-Annous also making his European debut for the club.
Slavia thought they were going to get a shot on target, let alone a goal, when Ben White’s challenge resulted in a penalty being awarded – but replays showed Provod, who had a tough night, had handled just before the challenge.
In a week where Arsenal’s injury woes caused concern, their depth and defensive numbers stepped up to help them again. They are top of the Premier League and now the Champions League.
Arteta: A joy to have Merino
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:
“It’s a joy to have him [Merino]. It’s his versatility on the pitch, the things he can do. It’s his mindset, his leadership and the way he is as a person.
“Mikel hadn’t played there [as a striker] in his career but we had a good experience of last season with the way he reacted and performed. We believe today, the way they were set up, it was a good chance for him to perform.
“He always has good timing, and is capable of finishing the ball especially with one touch. And then it’s about talking to him and making sure that he plays closer to the goal.
“He identifies opportunities, the timing of it and the way he needs to attack the spaces in relation to how they defend.”
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Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta praises teenager Max Dowman after he became the Champions League’s youngest player
Analysis: Arsenal’s defence looks unbreakable right now
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz in Prague:
First, you have to get through the press. Arsenal’s front-footed play makes it impossible for opponents to play out from the back.
Then you have to get through the low block. Arsenal are up there with the top Premier League teams for distance covered – as they move from that press into a low block that lets nothing through.
If you are lucky enough to get through, then there are key duel winners in William Saliba, Gabriel and Jurrien Timber to get past. Declan Rice plays in front of them too.
And if you then get a shot – which six teams have only managed to do three times between them in the space of a month – then you still have to beat David Raya.
Looking at that formula, it is no surprise Arsenal have managed eight clean sheets in a row. It has needed Erling Haaland to get past this team from open play.
