Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal: Merino at the double as Dowman makes Champions League history

Match report – Participant rankings – Quotes round-up

Arsenal made it 4 wins from 4 within the Champions League final night time, with a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague. The staff had some adjustments, with a primary begin for Piero Hincapie, Ethan Nwaneri and Christian Norgaard in midfield and, as anticipated, Mikel Merino up entrance because of the ongoing harm points we now have in that space of the pitch.

There was an early shot from Gabriel, volleying not far over from simply exterior the field, however Slavia had a pop seconds later up the opposite finish. At residence, with a vociferous crowd behind them, and a large up entrance who appeared to wish to battle everybody, they’d an honest begin to the sport. It took us a little bit time to quiet down however as soon as we did, I don’t suppose we let the sport out of our grip in any respect.

We utilized the strain, gained a sequence of corners, and from a kind of we have been awarded a penalty. I didn’t discover something in real-time however VAR noticed a possible hand ball. The ref went to verify, Lukas ­Provod’s hand was in an odd place beside his head, and in Europe they have a tendency to punish that type of factor extra severely than they do within the Premier League. Bukayo Saka stepped as much as make no mistake from the spot and to place us forward.

On the different finish, the large tried to assert a penalty when Hincapie was fouled, and when that wasn’t forthcoming he roared into the face of the Ecuadorian worldwide. A type of intimidation tactic, I assume, however it didn’t work. Gabriel pulled his teammate away to forestall issues effervescent over, and early within the second half all that effort was for naught when the Slavia man pulled a muscle (maybe his vocal cords), and went off.

By that point the lead had been doubled, an early second half strike from Merino made it 2-0. It was good work down the left from Leandro Trossard, however the Spaniard’s motion and end was actually good. He stated afterwards:

The purpose itself may appear simple, however the tough factor is the ten seconds earlier than the purpose when you must place your self, while you attempt to not be marked and use these areas in the proper approach. I’m very completely happy to have scored these two targets and helped the staff.

And talking about his compatriot afterwards, it was fascinating to listen to Mikel Arteta say:

My view was at all times that he had actually good timing and the capability to complete within the field, particularly one-touch.

I feel it’s clear there are elements of his recreation that, as laborious as he tries, are by no means going to be on the stage of a pure centre-forward, however by way of his arrival within the field, and the way in which he can end, he’s actually received one thing. It was February 2025 when he got here off the bench at Leicester to play up entrance, and since that recreation he’s scored 18 targets for membership and nation. Maybe it’s too simplistic to say that call unlocked some latent capacity, however regardless, we needs to be very completely happy he’s received the ending capacity he has.

It was Merino once more to make the sport secure. It was not as placing a purpose as his first, however he was prepared to problem Declan Rice’s cross within the field, and received there first because the keeper made the type of mistake that may give him nightmares. 3-0 to Arsenal, and that was the sport secure, particularly given our defensive report.

We noticed a debut from Max Dowman who, at 15 years of age, turned the youngest ever participant to play within the Champions League. He got here on, took individuals on, received kicked a bit, however received up and didn’t let it trouble him. There was additionally a European debut for Andre Harriman-Annous, and a little bit of late drama when the referee awarded a penalty for Slavia for no apparent purpose. Ben White and their participant each challenged for the ball with excessive ft, it hit the Slavia participant’s arm and he fell to the bottom like he’d been shot. Once more, after a VAR evaluation, the proper choice was made and the award rescinded.

Then, within the final 15 seconds, catastrophe. We allowed a shot on the right track! Positive, it was as tame because it will get, an effort blocked by Gabriel required David Raya to make a ‘save’ that anybody of us may make, however requirements are slipping. We received complacent, Arteta must have a phrase. In seriousness although, it demonstrates how extremely good we’ve been defensively that that was one of the best they may muster all night time, and presumably one of the best any staff has managed within the final month or so.

Afterwards, Mikel Arteta stated of the win:

I’m actually proud of the win, 4 in a row with out conceding a purpose. A extremely robust place to return, I advised the boys, the sport that we needed to count on, a staff that’s tremendous intense, very direct, man-to-man, so very brief sequences of play, plenty of fouls, plenty of restarts, very tough to get any fluency within the match. But when we have been affected person and emotionally managed, we have been going to have our possibilities and the way in which they arrange, and we did that. I feel the margin on the finish seemed snug, however I don’t suppose it was a cushty match in any respect.

It was scrappy at occasions, and I do know what he’s saying about the way it was tough, however it additionally felt fairly snug to me. Which isn’t to downplay how laborious both staff labored, it’s simply that after we received on prime we stayed on prime, and it by no means seemed like going some other approach. When you think about that Arsenal gained this recreation that effectively with none of Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus or Martin Zubimendi at their disposal actually is a testomony to the group we’ve put collectively.

I’ll say although, that type of harm report is a fear, we’re going to wish some/most of that high quality if we wish to win the league, however with one recreation to go earlier than the Interlull – and hopefully a few of these guys again after that – we are able to take confidence from what we did final night time, and hopefully that shall be mirrored in Saturday’s efficiency once we go to Sunderland.

Okay, that’s your lot for now. We’ll have a post-game Arsecast for you a bit in a while, so stand by for that. Till then, have an excellent one.