Gunners dismantle Bayern to record fifth consecutive Champions League win

Arsenal's Noni Madueke celebrates his side's second. Pic: John Walton/PA

How long can Mikel Arteta’s men keep this up for? Arsenal charge some of the highest ticket prices in European football, but it will be hard to find a visitor to the Emirates Stadium claiming they are not getting value for money this season. 

Man of the match Declan Rice’s transfer fee was over €100million and was once again so good, the home fans chanted ‘we got him half price.’ 

That was quickly followed by a rendition of ‘are you Tottenham in disguise’ aimed at Germany’s finest as they watched their team dismantle a Munich side billed the best in Europe just days after they humiliated north London rivals here in the Premier League on Sunday.

Thrashing a sub-standard Tottenham side is one thing, but humbling a previously unbeaten, imperious Bayern Munich playing at the top of their game is another.

Arsenal now sit proudly and deservedly at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables. Three glorious goals from Jurrien Timber, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli more than outdid a great strike from German wonderkid Lennart Karl to secure their fifth consecutive Champions League win of the season. 

Now they have to do it all again against a hugely in-form Chelsea side this Sunday. It all counts for nothing bar some great days and nights for their players and supporters so far, but they look unbeatable.

All that said, no team, domestic or foreign, has come to Arsenal this season and played with such self-belief and assurance in the ball than Vincent Kompany’s men. Arteta’s eager side looked more threatening when they were going forward but otherwise had to settle for playing for much of the first half without the ball. This was, after all, billed as the battle between the best attack in Europe against the best defence.

Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori heads at goal under pressure from Bayern Munich's Tom Bischof. Pic: John Walton/PA

Arsenal are the kings of the set pieces, however, and their 22nd-minute corner was a master piece of the dead-ball art form. Bukayo Saka, stemming the flow of a bloody nose of a recent clash with Bayern skipper Manuel Neuer, curled in with precision to the near post and Timber, the Premier League’s right back of the season so far, rose to flick in a perfectly timed header. Not bad for one of his side’s shortest players as he marked his third goal of the season.

Dayot Upemacano, the impressive big Munich defender, was booked moments later for sending Arsenal’s Christhian Mosquera flying as he betrayed the sudden surge of anxiety running through Kompany’s side. Maybe they also knew the stat that Arsenal had not failed to win a match after leading since they lost at home to Bournemouth in May.

Eberechi Eze went within inches of doubling Arsenal’s lead in their next dangerous attack when he tried to play in Saka with the goal at his mercy.

Instead of cruising into a bigger lead, Arsenal were undone by a brilliant Bayern move to find themselves level as wonderkid Karl became the first player to score against Arsenal in the Champions League this season. Former Arsenal youngster Serge Gnabry cushioned a cross into the area from a long Joshua Kimmich through ball and teenager Karl scored with a cool first-time finish. Fantastic football from all three Munich men at the end of a 24-pass team move.

A draw and no injuries would have suited Arsenal, if not both teams, but hopes of navigating the night unharmed ended on 37 minutes when in-form winger Leandro Trossard hobbled off. Munich fans aside, the only man in the crowd possibly cheered by that was watching England manager Thomas Tuchel. This was football of the highest order between the best of the Bundesliga and the Premier League pace setters and four of Tuchel’s potential World Cup squad now all playing a part in the action.

One of the quartet, Saka, had a shot tipped over the bar at the very start of the second half as Arsenal threatened to repeat their instant goalscoring feat as they had in Sunday’s derby win over Tottenham. Munich were a level or four harder to beat, but Arteta’s men were leaving nothing out there in pursuit of victory as Mikel Merino missed two great chances in the air, one well saved by Neuer. Bayern were hanging on but when David Raya also made a solid stop from Karl at the other end in a reminder that victory was the aim of both managers and their players.

Arteta and Arsenal wanted it more, though. The Basque manager sent on attacking reinforcements to finish the match off.

One of them, Riccardo Calafiori, supplied a perfect 69th minute cross from the left for Madueke to side foot in his first goal since signing from Chelsea. Then, fit again Martinelli ran clear from an Eze pass to round Neuer and shoot in Arsenal’s third 13 minutes from time on his comeback from injury.

Arsenal: Raya 6, Timber 8 (White 81), Saliba 7, Mosquera 7, Lewis-Skelly 6 (Calafiori 68), Zubimendi 7, Rice 9, Eze 7 (Odegaard 81), Saka 8 (Martinelli 68), Trossard 6 (Madueke 37), Merino 7. 

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Hincapie, Norgaard, Nwaneri.

Bayern Munich: Neuer 7, Kimmich 7 (Goretzka 81) , Tah 7, Upamecano 6 (Kim 82), Stanisic 6, Pavlovic 6, Laimer 7 (Bischof 73), Karl 8 (Guerreiro 81), Olise 7, Gnabry 7 (Jackson 72), Kane 6. 

Subs: Ulreich, Urbig, Ito, Bischof, Boey, Mike.

Ref: Marco Guida (Italy) 5.