Arsenal travel to Slavia Prague on Wednesday evening hoping to build on their historic victory at Liverpool and return to winning ways in the Champions League.
The Gunners secured a hard-fought 1-0 win at Anfield on Sunday, ending their 14-year wait for a Premier League victory at the ground and returning to the top of the table.
That result was particularly encouraging after their disappointing Carabao Cup elimination against Fleetwood Town, demonstrating the resilience that has characterised Arsenal’s recent success.
However, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta must ensure his players quickly turn their attention towards Europe, where another demanding away fixture awaits.
Arsenal remain unbeaten in this season’s Champions League, having defeated Napoli and Lille before drawing 2-2 against Bayern Munich.
The Bayern result ended their remarkable 14-match winning streak in the league phase, although securing a point in Munich was hardly a setback.
Nevertheless, Arsenal will be determined to collect another three points and strengthen their position in the race for automatic qualification to the knockout stages.
On paper, Slavia Prague represent considerably less formidable opposition than Bayern or Liverpool.
The Czech champions occupy 32nd position in the 36-team Champions League standings, having collected just one point from their opening three matches.
They are also without a victory in their last 18 European fixtures, a record that underlines their struggles against continental opposition.
Arsenal should therefore approach Wednesday’s encounter as strong favourites, particularly given their impressive defensive organisation and superior individual quality.
However, dismissing Slavia’s chances based solely on their European record would be a mistake.
Jindrich Trpisovsky’s side have shown signs of improvement, responding to a difficult spell with consecutive domestic victories and nine unanswered goals.
Their latest success was an emphatic 5-0 victory over Jablonec, maintaining their seven-point advantage at the top of the Czech league.
Slavia also demonstrated considerable character by recovering from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
Playing in front of their own supporters should provide further encouragement, especially against opponents carrying the expectations that accompany Arsenal’s status.
The Gunners have already beaten Slavia 3-0 away from home in last season’s Champions League, but previous results offer no guarantee of another comfortable evening.
Arteta must also manage his squad carefully, with Bukayo Saka and William Saliba sidelined and concerns surrounding several other players.
Arsenal’s defensive discipline should provide a strong foundation, but they must also show greater attacking sharpness than they managed at Anfield.
A victory would reinforce their European credentials and maintain the momentum generated by Sunday’s success.
Arsenal have every reason to expect three points, but Slavia’s improving form means they cannot afford anything less than a focused performance.