Arsenal loved a triumphant return to the Champions League with a 4-0 thrashing of outclassed PSV Eindhoven in Group B as their spectacular begin to the season continued on Wednesday.
Six years after their final look amongst Europe’s elite, objectives by Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus earlier than half-time paved the best way for a straightforward victory, with captain Martin Ødegaard additionally on course within the second half.
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Saka, certainly one of a number of Arsenal gamers making their debuts within the competitors, struck from shut vary after eight minutes and Trossard’s low shot made it 2-0 12 minutes later earlier than Jesus hammered Arsenal’s third to successfully wrap up the factors.
Arsenal, who’ve taken 13 factors from their opening 5 Premier League video games, journey to Lens subsequent week whereas PSV should attempt to restore among the harm at residence to Sevilla.
David Worth/Arsenal FC by way of Getty Pictures
The final time Arsenal performed within the Champions League they suffered a chastening 10-2 combination drubbing by the hands of Bayern Munich, since when their perennial place amongst the Premier League‘s top-four turned a fading reminiscence.
Runners-up spot to Manchester City final season despatched them again to the highest desk and Dutch facet PSV proved the right opponents on a rain-drenched evening in north London.
The guests did take a look at David Raya, once more most popular to England keeper Aaron Ramsdale, within the opening minute when Noa Lang pressured the Spaniard into a cushty save.
After that it was one-way site visitors.
Arsenal’s opener arrived as Saka linked with Ødegaard and when the Norwegian’s shot was solely parried by Walter BenÃtez, Saka was alert sufficient to information residence from shut vary.
PSV have been architects of their very own downfall for Arsenal’s second, giving the ball away throughout a foray ahead, and a lightning counter-attack ended with Saka squaring for Trossard to fizz a low shot throughout the moist turf and into the nook.
Trossard then turned supplier to arrange Jesus who took a silky contact earlier than smashing a shot into the online.
With a north London derby towards Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta had the luxurious of constructing substitutions all through the second half with Saka, Jesus and Declan Rice all getting an early breather.
However Arsenal have been nonetheless far too slick for his or her opponents and captain Ødegaard drilled in a scientific fourth after 70 minutes to finish a totally satisfying evening.