Arsenal delivered a dominant performance to beat Sevilla 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium and establish control in Champions League Group B this evening.
Mikel Arteta’s side came into the game seeking redemption after losing back-to-back domestic fixtures, including a controversial 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United last Saturday.
Kai Havertz could’ve put the Gunners in front less than 120 seconds into the match as he found himself unmarked at the back post but failed to direct his header on target.
Despite wasting an early chance, it didn’t deter the London outfit from continuing to apply high pressure on Sevilla and make visiting goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic sweat.
While the Spaniards put on a valiant effort to fend off Arsenal’s relentless attacks, they capitulated on the stroke of the half-hour mark as Leandro Trossard scored his second goal this Champions League campaign.
Jorginho’s inch-perfect defence-splitting pass found Bukayo Saka in space, with the English winger picking out the Belgian forward in stride. Trossard guided the ball past Dmitrovic to give Arsenal a deserved lead.
Arteta’s side maintained complete control of proceedings for the remainder of the first half but couldn’t create anything meaningful in the front third despite boasting 68% possession.
However, they refused to rest on their laurels after the break, starting the second half on the front foot, with Havertz grabbing the spotlight again.
The German found a pocket of space on the edge of Sevilla’s penalty area and unleashed a thunderbolt strike flying towards the top corner but steered it a whisker wide of the post.
With Sevilla failing to gain a foothold in the game, it was only a matter of time before Arsenal snatched another goal.
Saka turned from a provider into a scorer. In a lightning-fast counter-attack, Gabriel Martinelli dispatched the left-footed winger into a one-on-one with the keeper.
The 22-year-old sold a dummy to his marker to move the ball to his left foot and slam it into the bottom corner, putting clear daylight between the sides in the 64th minute.
Los Rojiblancos’ only shot towards David Raya’s goal came in stoppages as second-half substitute Mariano Diaz went from glory from outside the box, giving the ex-Brentford keeper a chance to test his gloves.
Even before Saka’s goal, it felt like there was no way back for Sevilla, who extended their dreadful winless run in away European fixtures to 15, dropping to the bottom of the group.
Arsenal’s third win in four Group B matches has consolidated their place at the top of the standings, firing them four points clear of Lens and PSV Eindhoven.
Arsenal vs Sevilla Player Ratings
Arsenal
David Raya (7/10) – Had to make just one save the whole game but was up to the task, comfortably catching Mariano Diaz’s stoppage-time attempt.
Ben White (7/10) – Had several sloppy passes and made some poor decisions in the final third but did his defensive job to a tee.
William Saliba (8/10) – Another immaculate defensive showing from the Frenchman, who grabbed the headlines with a decisive tackle to deny a clear-cut chance for Sevilla midway through the first half.
Gabriel Magalhaes (8/10) – Like his centre-back colleague, barely put a foot wrong tonight when called into action while keeping his passing clean and precise.
Takehiro Tomiyasu (6/10) – Playing as a makeshift left-back doesn’t suit the right-footed Japanese star as evidenced by his troubled showing in a one-sided contest.
Declan Rice (8/10) – Delivered another electrifying performance in the middle of the park, helping Arsenal win the midfield battle with his tireless runs and top-notch passing skills.
Jorginho (8/10) – Played a crucial role in the Gunners’ opening goal. Other than that, refused to take risks when in possession, keeping his passes simple.
Kai Havertz (7/10) – It’s unfathomable how he failed to get on the scoresheet, given the number of promising positions he found himself in tonight.
Gabriel Martinelli (8/10) – Got rewarded for his blistering performance with an assist to Saka. Left Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sanchez in the dust in almost every one-on-one duel.
Leandro Trossard (7/10) – Other than the goal, it was a relatively quiet night for the diminutive forward as he often struggled to make the right decisions and misplaced various straightforward passes.
Bukayo Saka (9/10) *MOTM* – The England international at his best! In addition to a delightful assist, showcased his tricky feet again to get rid of his marker and finish with aplomb.
Substitutes
Oleksandr Zinchenko (8/10)
Fabio Vieira (6/10)
Reiss Nelson (6/10)
Jakub Kiwior (NA/10)
Mohamed Elneny (NA/10)
Sevilla
Marko Dmitrovic (4/10) – Though there was little he could’ve done in both goal situations, two of Arsenal’s three shots on target finished behind his back.
Juanlu Sanchez (3/10) – Humiliated by Martinelli, who constantly had him on the back foot.
Loic Bade (6/10) – Pulled off some vital clearances, especially in the air, and did well defending against Trossard on the ground.
Nemanja Gudelj (6/10) – Trossard gave him a slip before breaking the deadlock. Had an otherwise decent evening.
Joan Jordan (5/10) – Part of the reason Sevilla lost the game. Nowhere to be seen in the build-up and looked destined for a booking with some clumsy challenges but somehow got away.
Fernando (6/10) – Typically aggressive off the ball, provided an extra layer of cover to his backline but did nothing noteworthy when asked to move the ball around.
Djibril Sow (4/10) – Completely invisible tonight. Alonso took him off just after the hour mark, though he could’ve done it much sooner.
Adria Pedrosa (5/10) – Deployed in a more advanced position than usual, the Spaniard posed perhaps the only genuine threat to Raya’s goal in the first half.
Erik Lamela (4/10) – The former Tottenham Hotspur ace will want to forget his return to London quickly after being bullied by Tomiyasu and Zinchenko.
Youssef En-Nesyri (4/10) – Spent most of the match in ‘stealth mode,’ not so much due to his fault. A lack of support from his teammates often left him on an island.
Substitutes
Boubakary Soumare (4/10)
Ivan Rakitic (5/10)
Mariano Diaz (6/10)
Tanguy Nianzu (6/10)
Lucas Ocampos (5/10)
