Arsenal’s challenge for the Premier League title may be showing some signs of wobbling but there are no such problems in the Champions League. An eighth successive victory – all by a margin of at least two goals – means Mikel Arteta’s side have become the first team to end the league phase with a 100% record since it was introduced last season.
Whether that can translate into silverware in a competition that Arsenal have infamously never won and in which they only reached one final – way back in 2006 under Arsène Wenger – remains to be seen. But even with a second-string side that once again showed the strength in depth at Arteta’s disposal, completing the job against the bottom side was never in doubt even when Kairat equalised after an early goal from Viktor Gyökeres.
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The £64m striker endured another frustrating evening as he somehow failed to add to his tally after that despite numerous opportunities that came his way. It was a different story for Kai Havertz, who sparkled on his first start for almost a year owing to injuries. He scored the second either side of setting up Gyökeres and Gabriel Martinelli to help establish Arsenal’s supremacy before the break. The Germany forward was withdrawn at half-time with the damage done. Having a player of such quality available again will be crucial to Arteta as their quest for a quadruple remains alive.
There was a reminder of Arsenal’s achievements so far in this competition on the pre-match programme, which featured images from each of their seven previous victories over illustrious names like Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid and Inter. The lack of jeopardy against opponents who had already been eliminated was perhaps a reason behind the number of empty seats, not to mention the decision to make this a category B fixture with the cheapest tickets costing £45.
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Unsurprisingly, Arteta opted to make 11 changes from the disappointing defeat to Manchester United at the weekend as Havertz was deployed in an advanced midfield role behind Gyökeres. Four academy players including the 18-year-old midfielder Ife Ibrahim – who signed his first professional contract this week – were among the substitutes.
Kairat were without Dastan Satpaev, the 17-year-old who is due to join Chelsea next month, owing to injury and only named five outfield players on their bench. They have travelled more than 50,000 miles in a Champions League campaign that began in July and had picked up a solitary point in the league phase. There was still a sizeable contingent in the away end who made themselves heard at every opportunity.
Most would have feared the worst when Gyökeres slammed home from the edge of the area inside two minutes after a brilliant through ball from Havertz. But Arsenal’s lead was short-lived as Riccardo Calafiori – back in the side after a month out with a hip problem – was adjudged to have tugged Jorginho’s shirt inside the area. The Kairat captain stroked home for the spot to the audible delight of the travelling supporters.
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That was as good as things got for them, however. A brilliant individual goal from Havertz after he latched on to Ben White’s long pass and then cut inside to curl past Temirlan Anarbekov restored Arsenal’s advantage. Gyökeres, who seemed determined to cash in after Gabriel Jesus was preferred against Inter and United, could have had a hat-trick before half-time but spurned two gilt-edged chances. The Sweden striker thought he finally had a second when he got a touch on Havertz’s cross that was heading in, only for Martinelli to cheekily pinch it on the line and notch up his sixth goal of this year’s competition. It was all too much for poor Kairat.
Luckily for them, Havertz was withdrawn at the break and replaced by Martin Ødegaard. The Arsenal captain tried to keep up the intensity and saw his shot from distance palmed away to safety before directing a header straight at the goalkeeper. Gyökeres was replaced by Jesus with 20 minutes remaining as Arteta handed a senior debut to Ibrahim and the 17-year-old winger Brando Bailey-Joseph.
Kairat, who have had to play their home matches in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana – 800 miles away from their usual base of Almaty – owing to the sub-zero temperatures there at this time of year, looked determined not to concede again and just about managed it, even adding a late consolation when Ricardinho popped up at the back post to head in. For Arsenal, there will be much bigger challenges to come.