When Arsenal went down 2-1 to Lens at the start of October, on a nightmare trip which included a delayed flight and an injury to Bukayo Saka, they were in danger of making hard work of a kind-looking Champions League group.
But Wednesday night’s stroll past an abject Sevilla means Mikel Arteta’s side can qualify for the last-16 with a point against the French side in north London later this month, and will top the group with a game to spare if they win.
This was a fine way for Arsenal to finish a difficult week, which included being dumped out of the Carabao Cup by West Ham and their first League defeat of the season at Newcastle, which prompted Arteta’s furious rant about officiating and the club’s strange statement in support of the manager.
Arteta can now look ahead with a sunnier disposition, and he would dearly love to beat Lens and be able to effectively write off the final Champions League group game, at PSV Eindhoven, on December 12.
The fixture falls immediately after a visit to Aston Villa, imperious at home under Unai Emery, and before Arsenal’s festive schedule — a tricky sequence against Brighton, Liverpool and West Ham — so the opportunity to rest key players in the Netherlands would be welcome.
Arsenal barely had to get out of second gear to see off a Sevilla side who offered nothing in the way of attacking threat and scant resistance defensively. The visitors did not muster a single shot until the dying seconds of stoppage time, when Mariano Diaz finally forced David Raya to use his hands.
Group B always looked more of a Europa League assignment for Arsenal on paper, particularly given the inclusion of holders Sevilla, but the Spanish side nonetheless have European pedigree, and the Gunners came into this season’s competition after six years out of the Champions League.
Barring the blip in north-east France, Arteta’s side are on course to make impressively light work of the group stage, which, as Manchester United and Newcastle will testify, should not be taken for granted, even considering the financial might of the Premier League.
The knockouts will pose a different challenge entirely, but Arsenal have reacquainted themselves with elite European football with encouraging conviction and maturity thus far.
Key to Wednesday night’s victory were Gabriel Martinelli and, particularly, Saka, both wingers tearing Sevilla to shreds.
Saka set up Leandro Trossard’s simple finish to make it 1-0, before collecting Martinelli’s pass and finishing supremely to settle the contest in the second half.
It is easy to take Saka’s and Martinelli’s class for granted when they are performing every week in the Premier League, but they have adapted to Champions League football with impressive ease.
Saka now has two goals and three assists in his first four games in the competition — which will have delighted the watching Gareth Southgate, who named another England squad on Thursday — while Martinelli has a goal and assist in two appearances.
The pair have found their level in the Champions League, although better opponents in the knockouts will surely be cannier about dealing with their threat. Sevilla effectively left them one-versus-one with full-backs Kike Salas and Juanlu, who endured torrid nights.
Saka and Martinelli have found their level in the Champions League, although better opponents in the knockouts will surely be cannier
Saka, as is now customary, was on the receiving end of some rough treatment, and he had been fouled four times inside the opening 17 minutes, as Sevilla tried to kick Arsenal’s biggest threat out of the game.
As Arteta pointed out post-match, Saka is “getting used” to this kind of treatment, and he dusted himself off to square first-time to Trossard, filling in at No9, after half-an-hour.
Jorginho, really, made the goal, with a fabulous defence-splitting pass for the England winger, and this was the perfect game for the Italian playmaker; against an unadventurous team waiting to be unlocked and with little in the way of defending to do.
If Arsenal’s opening goal was about Saka’s awareness of his team-mates, their second was about his directness in the final third. He raced onto Martinelli’s pass, neutralised Adria Pedrosa with a superb piece of control and finished with his left foot.
The only negative for Arsenal was the sight of him limping off before the end, after appearing to land awkwardly, although encouragingly he tried to continue. Arteta did not seem concerned, saying he assumed Saka was okay, but Arsenal’s struggles to avoid bumps and bruises are showing no signs of let up.
There is optimism that skipper Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah could be fit for Saturday’s visit of Burnley, but Takehiro Tomiyasu was forced off at half-time on Wednesday.
All the more reason, then, to finish the job of topping the group against Lens on November 29 and give their stars a much-needed night off next month.
