Arsenal continued their perfect start in the Champions League as they moved to the top of the league phase table with a 3-1 win over Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium.
Three days after defeating Spurs in the north London derby, Mikel Arteta’s side produced another impressive performance in front of their fans, underscoring their status as Europe’s leading contenders.
Julian Timber’s header from Bukayo Saka’s corner was canceled out by 17-year-old Lennart Karl in the first half, but the Gunners overcame Bayern Munich after the break.
After a series of set-piece chances, Riccardo Calafioli’s whipped cross was sent in by Noni Madueke, and the two substitutes combined to score the second goal, Arsenal’s first.
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Paul Merson reacts to Arsenal’s ‘statement’ of victory over Bayern Munich
Arsenal drove their advantage home as former Spurs striker Harry Kane struggled to even register a shot on the ground, where he has scored more goals than any other visiting player.
The third goal came from a quick breakthrough by Eberechi Eze, Arsenal’s hero who scored a hat-trick against Spurs, after he released substitute Martinelli. Martinelli beat Manuel Neuer for the ball and scored into an empty goal, marking his first appearance in a month.
Arsenal had a good performance, taking a two-goal lead, and Karl’s stunning goal ended their record of clean sheets in the competition, but with five consecutive wins they moved to the top of the league, three points behind second-placed Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gunners move on to Sunday’s game against Chelsea, live on Sky Sports from Stamford Bridge, as they look to extend their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League as they continue to fight for the title on multiple fronts.
Arsenal players celebrate their 3-1 win against Bayern Munich
The only blemish on the night was the injury to Leandro Trossard, who was forced to be replaced by Maduke in the first half. “He said he felt something but we didn’t want to take any risks,” Arteta said.
There was good news on the injury front, with captain Martin Odegaard making his return after coming off the bench after recovering from a knee problem.
Analysis: Arsenal’s machine comes to life
When the final whistle blew, there was a party atmosphere inside Emirates Stadium for the second time in three days. Sunday’s win underlined their Premier League credentials. This match showed they might have what it takes to go the distance in Europe as well.
They have won 12 out of 13 games in all competitions, but the match against Bayern Munich, a team that coach Arteta describes as the best in Europe, was on a different level. Arsenal made Vincent Kompany’s side look decidedly mediocre during a ferocious performance in the second half.
Declan Rice and Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich battle for the ball
After the break, the match started with a series of set pieces. Bayern had already experienced the power of Arsenal’s dead ball machine with Timber’s first-half goal, but the barrage intensified after the restart and set the tone for what was to come.
Bayern looked dizzy, but the goals came from other sources and, like Sunday’s four goals against Spurs, served as a reminder that this team can do damage in many different ways. The third was a reminder of the threat of counter attacks. The second goal also came from a turnover.
The substitutes decided the game, which isn’t too surprising given their quality. How many teams in Europe can afford five quality players like Madueke, Martinelli, Calafioli, Ben White and Odegaard? Arsenal’s depth is one of the many factors in their favor, even with their ongoing injury problems.
Arteta: “We beat the best team in Europe”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta: “I have to praise the players because I think they played a great game against, in my opinion, the best team in Europe.
“Individually, we were very good at solving all the challenges this team brings. They know how hard we have worked to prepare for every game.
“We know the margin is very small. We started the week very well against Spurs and won here at home.
“It’s another big win today, but that’s it. We’ll now go home, have a nice dinner and start preparing for Stamford Bridge tomorrow morning.”
“We have certainly been very consistent in previous competitions, but this is just the beginning.
“We are very happy with what we saw today. Again, the energy that we created in the stadium, what the team sends, the energy that we bring, the quality that we play.
“This is incredible, but it’s still early days and we have to keep it that way.”
Kompany: Arsenal deserved the win
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany: “First of all, I have to congratulate Arsenal. I think in the end it was a deserved victory for Arsenal.”
“We felt we could dominate in the first half. You can’t keep a team like Arsenal without a threat for the whole game, but at half-time we felt there were plenty of reasons to feel OK.”
“But in the second half, they became more purposeful and sharper about the simple things of the game.
“Of course they always have set-pieces to change the game, but at the same time we allowed them control in too many phases of play.”
Kane: I lost too many duels.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane told TNT Sports: “It was a tough game, but it was what we expected.
“It was a good battle in the first half where we were almost evenly matched.
“In the second half, we didn’t quite have the same energy or intensity and lost too many duels. This is our first loss of the season.
“We don’t want to panic too much about it. But we’ll definitely learn about it.”
