Arsenal produced their most impressive Champions League performance of the season on Tuesday evening hammered reigning Portuguese champions Sporting CP 5-1 in Lisbon.
The Gunners were relentless in their pursuit of victory at the Estadio Jose Alvalade and raced into a three-goal lead thanks to an absolutely dominant first-half effort from the red and whites.
Sporting reduced the deficit after the restart and a brief wobble threatened to derail what had been a comfortable night for the visitors, but Arsenal showed the maturity of an increasingly confident Champions League side . Extending their lead even further after the hour mark, it really was the perfect away display from the resurgent Gunners.
After a departure from morale that has been seen arsenal Heading into the league stage standings, here are some of the key points from their win in Portugal.
At the start of November, Manchester City made headlines on their trip to Lisbon for all the wrong reasons. The current Premier League champions were invaded by the indefatigable Sporting and succumbed to a dismal 4-1 defeat.
Although the departure of former Sporting coach Ruben Amorim – now of Manchester United, of course – made the Portuguese side a more vulnerable target for Arsenal, Tuesday’s outing promised to be an extremely testy tough for a team without a win away from home in Europe this season.
However, Arsenal played with the swagger and confidence that elite teams require on the road in the Champions League. Stifling Sporting with their press and punishing them with some well-taken goals, the Gunners purred through an excellent first-half display.
A slight wobble after half-time when Sporting pulled one back could have undone the visitors, but they showed the maturity, experience and quality needed to get the job done in emphatic fashion.
If ever proof was needed of just how integral Martin Odegaard is to Arsenal, Tuesday’s game provided it. Mikel Arteta’s side had looked like a shadow in the Norwegian’s absence, struggling to break through stubborn low blocks and open up defenses without their skipper’s ingenuity.
From the first minute in Lisbon, Odegaard was determined to highlight his importance to the north London side. Dictating the pace and collecting incisive passes with a swing from his magical left boot, he was at the heart of Arsenal’s dominance.
Not everything Odegaard tried worked out. There was the occasional over-hit chip or overly adventurous deep ball, but they were passes that Arsenal’s others in red simply can’t see, or at least don’t want to try.
Odegaard went on to win Arsenal’s penalty after the hour mark that helped secure the result, capping off what was an expert display from the playmaker.
Bukayo Saka’s brilliance has never been in doubt, with performances like Tuesday’s only reinforcing his position as one of football’s most devastating strikers.
Arsenal, aided by Odegaard and Jurrien Timber, quickly overwhelmed Sporting’s left flank from the first whistle, with much of the Gunners’ play offside. Saka was naturally key to this approach, torturing Maximiliano Araujo and Hidemasa Morita with his turn of pace and direct running.
An assist and a goal were as little as the England winger deserved for another live display down the wing, with Saka also having the experience and intelligence to slow down play when necessary, or make fouls to relieve the pressure.
