**Arsenal**: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli
**Subs**: Kepa, Rojas, White, Mosquera, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Lokonga, Merino, Madueke, Nwaneri, Nelson, Havertz
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Arsenal’s pre-season wrapped up this afternoon with a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, ensuring the Emirates Cup stayed at home.
Mikel Arteta started Viktor Gyokeres up front, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli either side of him, and a midfield of Martin Zubimendi, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice behind the front three.
Athletic picked up a yellow card after just one minute, after the Gunners new striker was hauled down on halfway, and after a bright start there was an early chance for Bukayo Saka who perhaps could have squared the ball rather than taking a shot from a tight angle.
The visitors had a sight of goal after an error by Jurrien Timber but it didn’t trouble David Raya, before Gabriel Martinelli fired a left-footed shot at the other end. Saka threatened again in the opposition box, but a mistake from Riccardo Calafiori gave Bilbao a great chance to score but the shot was tame and Raya saved again.
Nice play between Zubimendi and Saka saw an opportunity for Gyokeres, but he didn’t make great contact and allowed Unai Simon to make the save, before good combination between Martinelli and Gyokeres provided a chance for Calafiori who fired over with his right foot.
In the 34th minute though, Arsenal went ahead. A Declan Rice corner went through to the back post where Saka picked it up. He laid it back to Zubimendi whose first time cross was brilliantly headed home by Gyokeres to make it [1-0](https://streamff.com/c/f5696794).
A minute later it was 2-0, after Athletic lost the ball in midfield. It was played over the top by Odegaard for Martinelli who squared it for Saka to roll home into an empty net. [2-0](https://streamff.com/c/681964a7).
A dominant first half ended with that scoreline, and it was one Mikel Arteta’s side merited. There were changes at the break with Ben White replacing Calafiori and Noni Madueke on for Martinelli on the left-hand side.
There was a chance for Timber after a Rice corner was headed towards the far post, but Timber couldn’t get over the close-range header. Gyokeres came close to a second after a cross from Madueke saw his diving header cannon off the post, perhaps with the keeper getting a touch although replays were inconclusive.
The 63rd minute saw more changes made with Cristhian Mosquera and Myles Lewis-Skelly replacing Gabriel and Timber, and the 18 year old picked up a yellow card pretty quickly for a foul on some lad. Kai Havertz was then sent on for goalscorer Gyokeres, as the game settled into a very second half in pre-season tempo.
The German had a chance from a Saka pull-back which Zubimendi flicked into his path, but the keeper got in the way. It wasn’t long before he got on the scoresheet though. After Saka flicked the ball forward, he took it on halfway, drove through into the box, then finished excellently with his left foot. A real show of pace and strength. 3-0 in the 82nd minute.
Ethan Nwaneri and Mikel Merino came on then for Rice and Odegaard, there was a late chance for Saka which he didn’t make the most of in the opposition box, and at the end of the 90 minutes the Gunners were good value for their win.
A penalty shoot-out followed which Arsenal won, Zubimendi scoring the decisive spot-kick.