Arsenal continued their flying run of form with a routine 3-0 win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.
The Gunners came into the match off the back of an emphatic north London derby win and they picked up from where they left off at the Emirates, with Eddie Nketiah putting them in front and Rob Holding doubling the lead with a powerful header just five minutes later.
That quickfire double was added to late in the match, as Fabio Vieira sealed the victory after brilliant work from Gabriel Jesus. It leaves Arsenal top of their Europa League group despite having only played two group-stage matches, with confidence high ahead of the visit of Liverpool this weekend.
Mikel Arteta made eight changes to the side that beat Tottenham, with Gabriel, Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli the three to keep their places in a rotated lineup. Vieira was one of those who came in and he looked sharp, seeing an early rising effort clip off the top of the bar.
The goal came midway throught the first-half, as Kieran Tierney’s thunderous effort cannoned back off the post and into the path of Nketiah, who produced a smart finish into the empty net as the ball flew towards him.
Vieira was then denied from a tight angle but he was involved seconds later as the Gunners did double their lead, whipping in a wonderful cross to the back post where Holding did the rest with a header into the bottom corner.
Bodo/Glimt were much the better side immediately after the break, pinning Arsenal back and having their best spell of the match. Amahl Pellegrino came closest to turning that pressure into a goal, but was denied by a good save from Matt Turner.
That was Arteta’s queue to unleash the cavalry, bringing on Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Jesus in what must have been a brutal sight for the visitors.
It was enought to bring a bit more control to proceedings for the Gunners, and they could have extended their lead further when Nketiah was played clean through on goal but he blasted a wild finish over the bar.
The third goal did come in the closing stages, Jesus jinking away from the challenges in the box with sublime footwork before cutting it back to Vieira, who had the simplest of finishes into the roof of the net as Arsenal eased to a ninth win from ten matches in all competitions this season.
