ARSENAL moved top of the Champions League table with a comfortable win over Slavia Prague.
The Gunners made it four wins from four in Europe‘s elite club competition with a 3-0 win in the Czech capital on Tuesday night.
Arsenal ran out 3-0 winners over Slavia Prague on Tuesday night
Bukayo Saka fired the visitors into the lead in the 32nd minute from the penalty spot
Mikel Merino was at the double for the visitorsCredit: EPA
‘s troops broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute through .
Makeshift striker extrordinaire Mikel Merino sealed the victory seconds into the half with a neat finish.
And the Spaniard bagged a second with a brave header in the 68th minute.
SunSport’s Chisanga Malata watched the match is on hand to rate and slate the north Londoners’ display in Prague.
David Raya – 6/10
Made a stunning near-post save in the fifth minute, albeit from an offside shot.
Commanded the box and distributed the ball incredibly well, as per usual.
Jurrien Timber – 6
Seldom called upon, but was steady at the back. Grew into the game in the second half and became more of a threat going forward.
William Saliba – 6
Marshalled the defence well, especially in the early embers of the match, and repeatedly thwarted Slavia’s sporadic ventures into the box.
Gabriel – 6
Like Saliba, he was solid when called upon. A continued threat in the box from set-pieces throughout.
Piero Hincapie – 6
Was beaten a few times early doors but steadied himself just after the quarter-hour mark. Showed flashes of danger going forward, although his final ball left little to be desired.
Declan Rice – 7
Once again, the lynchpin in the middle of the park and was at the heart of everything the Gunners did well going forward.
Teed up Merino’s second with a beautifully floated ball in the 68th minute.
Christian Norgaard – 6
Complemented Rice perfectly by sitting deep and doing all the dirty work.
Ethan Nwaneri – 5
The teenager was anonymous in the first half and struggled to get into the game.
Booked in the 23rd minute for a counter-attack-ending foul. Hooked for Eze in the 65th.
Bukayo Saka – 7
Quiet for large portions of the first half, but tested the keeper from range with a left-footed drive from outside the box.
Almost broke the deadlock in the 25th minute after breaking into the box, but fired his shot straight at the keeper and forced another save three minutes later.
Cooly converted a controversially awarded penalty in the 32nd minute.
Bukayo Saka gave the Gunners the lead from the penalty spotCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Leandro Trossard – 7
Lively on the left wing from the get-go and tracked back well during the first half.
Was lively again after the restart and beautifully teed up Merino to double the visitors’ lead after a mere 36 seconds.
Mikel Merino – 8
Cut a lonesome figure for large portions of the first half and struggled to hold up the ball when it was played up to him.
But made a huge impact in the second half by caressing the ball into the back of the net with a beautiful left-footed finish after ghosting into the box between the two centre-backs.
Put the icing on the cake in the 68th minute with a brave header when he could very well have been clattered by the Slavia stopper.
Mikel Merino roars after bagging his second goal against SlaviaCredit: AFP
Subs
Eberechi Eze (for Nwaneri ’65) – 5
Failed to make any sort of impact after replacing the similarly anonymous Nwaneri.
Max Dowman (for Trossard ’72) – 6
Became the youngest-ever player in history when he replaced Trossard.
Bamboozled Slavia defenders during his brief cameo, so much so he ended up being clattered on several occasions.
Ben White (for Timber ’72) – 5
Had a brief scare in the 84th minute when he thought he’d given away a penalty.
But the referee rightfully reversed his initial decision after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (for Hincapie ’72) – 5
Slotted in nicely for the Gunners’ final summer signing and was his usual steady self.
Andre Harriman-Annous (on for Rice ’80) – 5
Immediately put himself about, much to the delight of his manager.
