ARSENAL 4-0 ATLETICO MADRID: Viktor Gyokeres scores twice as the Gunners blow away their Spanish opponents in an impressive 13-minute second half Champions League blitz
Viktor Gyoekeres of Arsenal celebrates
Viktor Gyokeres grabbed two goals(Image: Justin Setterfield/UEFA via Getty Images)
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Viktor Gyokeres ended his goal drought as Arsenal continued their perfect record in the Champions League by demolishing Atletico Madrid in a dominant second-half performance. The Gunners scored four goals in 13 minutes to blow away their opponents and make it three wins and three clean sheets in the early stages of the competition.
The first half finished goalless but not for a lack of trying, with Eberechi Eze striking the bar with a deflected shot, while Bukayo Saka was denied one-on-one by Jan Oblak and Gabriel Martinelli was narrowly offside while tapping in a Saka cross. Meanwhile, David Raya was fortunate that Julian Alvarez could not find the net after he was robbed by Giovanni Simeone by the corner flag.
Gyokeres tested Oblak once again early in the second half before Arsenal turned to the tried and tested route of a set piece to break the deadlock, with Gabriel Magalhaes heading in Declan Rice's inviting free-kick. Alvarez struck the bar for Atleti before the floodgates opened.
The second goal was the pick of the bunch, Myles Lewis-Skelly driving forward and releasing Martinelli to curl into the bottom corner with a first-time shot. Gyokeres ended his 624-minute goal drought when he stabbed in via a healthy deflection and he had another minutes later when Rice and Gabriel combined from a corner to gift him a simple task for 4-0.
Here are the talking points on a brilliant night for Arsenal.
1. Saka the threat
All of Arsenal's attacking threat in the first half came down their right-hand side, with Jurrien Timber and Saka combining nicely time and time again. Atleti left-back David Hancko was no match for the Arsenal winger, who beat him all ends up, yet couldn't make his dominance count.
Eze found Saka with a perfectly-timed through ball in behind Hancko, but unlike his team-mate, Oblak read the ball and flew out to save the shot. Saka's hamstring has limited his output so far this season and this game made it even more plainly obvious how important he is to Arteta's side.
: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal
Bukayo Saka enjoyed a strong first half but couldn't score
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2. Zubimendi punished
There are eight matches in the Champions League group phase, yet it only takes two yellow cards for players to be handed a one-match suspension. If that feels harsh then spare a thought for Martin Zubimendi, who fell foul of the rules by picking up a booking in the first half.
The holding midfielder did not even feel he had fouled his man, but was still shown a yellow and will miss the next Champions League game of the season, away against Slavia Prague on November 4. Zubimendi now looks completely at home sitting at the base of Arsenal's midfield, setting up Gyokeres' chance early in the second half and releasing Martinelli in the build-up for the third, and only time will tell how important his booking will prove.
Martin Zubimendi of Arsenal wipes his face with his shirt
Martin Zubimendi picked up a one-match suspension
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3. Familiar route to goal
Arsenal's brilliance from set pieces is nothing new. Set piece coach Nicolas Jover has been around for a long time and they continue to outperform all their rivals from dead ball situations. What is impressive is that they have not been found out yet; teams have not worked out how to stop them.
The free-kick was quite a long way out, but Atleti had no answer to Rice's delicious inswinging delivery and Gabriel's run and header. The Gunners lined up with two players offside and didn't even need a blocker to get Gabriel a free header on this occasion and not even Oblak could keep out his downward effort. Once they hit the front, they didn't look back.
Gabriel of Arsenal celebrates
Gabriel planted a header past Jan Oblak
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4. Martinelli at his best
Three Champions League games, three goals for Gabriel Martinelli. Alongside Leandro Trossard, he was the hero off the bench against Athletic Club in the first game, he opened the scoring in the 2-0 win over Olympiakos in game two, and he was impressive once again on Tuesday night.
His direct running, tireless work rate and penchant for curling into the far corner make him a perfect weapon for Arteta when on form and all those characteristics were evident here. While his goal owed much to Lewis-Skelly's driving run and weight of pass, Martinelli's trademark finish past Oblak was a thing of beauty.
Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal scores
Gabriel Martinelli curled in a beautiful goal
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5. Feed the Gyok
There was a lot of criticism floating around for Gyokeres in the build-up to this game, with the big-money summer signing enduring a drought in front of goal. He had gone seven Arsenal games and two Sweden appearances without finding the back of the net, which must have been a strange feeling for a player who has been so prolific in the past two campaigns for Sporting.
His first goal here was a classic of the genre of drought-enders, Gyokeres stabbing a shot into the leg of Hancko, seeing it end up in the corner. The second was a textbook poacher's goal, Gyokeres getting to the back post to use his thigh to nudge Gabriel's header over the line. He now has five goals for the season and will surely continue to score if chances keep coming his way.
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