Slavia Prague vs Arsenal live: Merino double gives Gunners easy Champions League win
Mikel Arteta’s injury-hit squad will be tested again as their Champions League campaign continues
Arsenal made it four wins from four in the Champions League this season and recorded another victory without conceding a goal during their 3-0 result over Slavia Prague.
The hosts were unbeaten in their domestic league but had lost each of their previous three European games this year which was a complete contrast to the Gunners.
Arsenal, who started slowly, went ahead through Bukayo Saka’s penalty kick. Perhaps fortuitous to be awarded a spot kick the Arsenal captain slotted it home with ease and from there the Gunners took control.
Mikel Merino, leading the line in the absence of Viktor Gyokeres, added a second just seconds into the second half before flicking on a direct ball to add a third. David Raya made a couple of decent stops to help Arsenal secure another clean sheet with is a club record equalling eighth in a row.
The Gunners march on.
Relive the updates from the Champions League with our live blog below:
Arsenal set new club record with cruising victory over Slavia Prague
Arsenal took another step towards the Champions League last 16 with a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague on a night when more records tumbled.
Bukayo Saka set them on their way with a first-half penalty and a double from Mikel Merino – stepping into the centre-forward role in the absence of Viktor Gyokeres – sealed the deal.
The clean sheet was the Gunners’ eighth in a row, equalling the record set in 1903.
Arsenal set new club record with cruising victory over Slavia Prague
Arsenal go top
Ahead of the evening’s 8pm kick offs Arsenal have moved to the top of the Champions League table.
They have a perfect 12 points from 12 and should already be guaranteed a spot in the next round of the competition.
Full-time! Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
90+5 mins: The final whistle goes in Prague with Arsenal claiming all three points.
A superb performance resulted in three goals and an eighth successive clean sheet which is a club equalling record.
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
90 mins: Five minutes of added time to play. Arsenal are closing in on a record eighth clean sheet.
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
No penalty!
86 mins: VAR calls the referee over to the monitor, he takes a look at the incident and changes his original decision.
The Slavia Prague fans are not happpy. Arsenal are though.
Ben White didn’t do much wrong and if anything put in a decent block.
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Penalty to Slavia Prague!
84 mins: The ball comes into the box from the right and drops to Provod.
Ben White sticks out a leg to get to the ball and perhaps clips the forward.
VAR is taking a look at this, it seems like a 50/50 challenge with both men having their feet high.
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
81 mins: Lewis-Skelly collects a yellow card but the resultant free kick is easily dealt with by the Gunners.
Time is ticking away from Slavia who are facing a fourth straight defeat in Europe.
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
78 mins: An Arsenal free kick is lofted into the Slavia penalty area by Saka but he overhits it and sends the ball out of play.
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
72 mins: Mikel Arteta makes a few changes now. Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ben White and Max Downman are all introduced with Jurrien Timber, Piero Hincapie and Leandro Trossard all replaced.
GOAL! Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal (Mikel Merino, 68')
Merino has a second!
Declan Rice plays a direct ball into the box with Merino as the target.
Markovic comes off his line to catch the ball but Merino gets his head to the ball first and nods it past the goalkeeper to score Arsenal’s third.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks