Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid Magalhães (57′) Martinelli (64′) Gyokeres (67′ , 70′) Arsenal bulldozed their way past Atletico Madrid to maintain their 100% record in the Champions League after a dominant second-half performance. In a goalless first half, David Raya almost gifted the visitors the lead in the 24th minute. After tussling with Giuliano Simeone at the corner flag, the resultant Julian Alvarez strike narrowly missed as the goalkeeper scampered back to his goal. Arsenal thought they had opened the scoring in the 35th minute, after Gabriel Martinelli bundled home Bukayo Saka’s sliding cross. Unfortunately for Mikel Arteta’s side, the Brazilian attacker was positioned offside in the build-up. The home side pulled away to a routine victory in the second half, after scoring four goals in 13 minutes to seal the win. Gabriel Magalhães powered home Declan Rice’s inswinging free kick in the 57th minute to open the scoring. Martinelli then made up for his offside goal in the 64th minute. Myles Lewis-Skelly’s clever pass allowed the Brazilian to advance into the box unmarked. He curled a delicate right-footed shot past the outstretched Jan Oblak for a superb second goal. Summer acquisition Viktor Gyokeres added two goals in three minutes to finish off the rout. He bundled home from inside the six-yard box after Eberechi Eze’s initial strike in the 67th minute. The Swede added the fourth shortly, prodding home another Rice set piece to the delight of the home faithful. The emphatic victory moves the Gunners into 3rd place in the Champions League table; they are yet to concede a goal in the competition, and look the real deal. They return to Premier League action against Crystal Palace. Arsenal: Raya, Timber (White 83′) Magalhães (Mosquera 72′) Saliba, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi (Nørgaard 83′) Rice, Saka, Eze (Nwaneri 73′) Martinelli, Gyokeres (Merino 83′) Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Hancko, Gimenez (Baena 63′) Le Normand, Llorente, Gonzalez (Ruggeri 63′) Kokę (Gallagher 63′) Barrios, Simeone (Griezmann 72′) Sorloth (Almada 72′) Alvarez  

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal host Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in the Champions League this week, and the Gunners boss believes his opposite number’s “character and willingness would take him anywhere” as he approaches 14 years in charge of the Spanish giants. Speaking on Monday before the European tie, Arteta said he “looks up” to Simeone, “I think what he has done since he got to Atletico has been outstanding, not only what he has achieved but the way he has done it, I think the identity that he has created to the club, to the team, the spirit, I think they are very simple and clear to identify, and that is because the manager is very much them.” Arsenal sit at the summit of the Premier League; their one-nil victory over Fulham on Saturday pushed them three points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City. Arteta was pleased with the “initiative” of defender William Saliba, after a photo spread on social media showing the Arsenal defender studying Atletico on the team coach: “Very pleased because I didn’t encourage it, so it came from them, and that’s the most powerful thing, that a game finishes, the job is done, but what is the next challenge?” “We know that it is going to be a really tough, so the earlier we start to think about it and prepare the better, so I love that initiative from the players, and it tells you how much they want it and how focused they are on what is next.” Simeone is approaching 14 years as Atletico’s head coach, thrashing Frankfurt 5-1 in their last Champions League outing. Arteta was full of praise for the manager’s longevity. “What is for me outstanding is his passion, I think for how long he has been in the game in the same club with the same players” “It is a very tough environment that we live in, and to keep convincing players, you have to be extraordinary well, I don’t know him personally but everything I’ve heard about him is that he is so good at doing that,” “What makes Simeone teams so difficult to play against -” the willingness to win, you can sense that in every single goal in every single yard they play,” “they have had quite a lot of talent throughout the years, that are very specific for their needs and where they want to play, and they are very good at exploiting those opportunities.” Arsenal host Atletico Madrid at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night at 8pm, seeking their third straight win in the Champions League.