We turned in considered one of our greatest away performances within the Champions League in latest reminiscence to safe a press release win in Lisbon.

In opposition to the reigning Portuguese champions – unbeaten all season and second within the Champions League league section going into the sport – we netted three with out reply in a dominant first half. Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz put us two to the nice earlier than Gabriel headed in from a nook on the stroke of half-time.

An early second-half objective from Goncalo Inacio gave the hosts temporary hope, however Bukayo Saka’s penalty and Leandro Trossard’s late objective from a parried Mikel Merino shot gave the scoreline gloss on a exceptional night time in Europe.

The travelling Arsenal supporters have been left to have fun our greatest away win within the competitors since beating Inter by the identical rating in 2003.

Martinelli’s magic

One other European away day, one other excitable dwelling ambiance to attempt to dampen early on, and we did simply that contained in the opening 10 minutes. We had began actually brightly, having our first try on objective within the first minute, however Riccardo Calafiori’s follow-up after Martinelli’s cross was half-cleared went harmlessly huge.

We continued to dictate the early play – Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka mixed effectively inside the realm however the hosts scrambled away the hazard.

Then got here the breakthrough. Jurrien Timber discovered house on the best, despatched in a low cross that requested questions that the Portuguese defence couldn’t reply, and Martinelli stole in to attain previous Franco Israel and internet our first away objective within the Champions League since Eddie Nketiah netted in opposition to Eindhoven in December final 12 months.

We have been good worth for the lead although. Sporting – with a 100 per cent home document this season had barely received into our half within the first ten minutes.

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Each phrase from Arteta’s post-Sporting presser

Explosive Gunners

It was little shock then once we doubled the lead halfway via the primary half. Once more the build-up got here down the best, this time Thomas Partey lifted a ball over the defence for Saka to scurry onto. He stabbed the ball via the legs of the advancing keeper inside the realm, and Havertz had the straightforward job of tapping in from a yard or two out.

The house followers began letting off fireworks contained in the Estadio Jose Alvalade, however all of the leisure was being provided by the boys in purple and white. We have been knocking the ball round in midfield, our motion inflicting no finish of issues for a workforce that hasn’t dropped a degree at dwelling within the league because the season earlier than final.

The locals have been rising more and more stressed, not used to any visiting workforce dominating them on this means. Their final dwelling sport on this competitors don’t overlook, was a 4-1 dispatching of Manchester Metropolis.

And actually with the final contact of the primary half, Gabriel made it 3-0. Declan Rice’s swerving nook from the best was simply on the cash for our massive Brazilian defender, arriving to energy in his header on the far publish. It was a near-perfect first-half show.

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Saka on hitting our high stage in Sporting stunner

Sporting’s revival

Sporting have been merely not used to being on this place, and got here out with renewed dedication for the second half. A minute after the restart David Raya made a full stretch save low all the way down to deny Hidemasa Morita, and from the ensuing nook Goncalo Inacio turned the ball dwelling on the close to publish.

Hope for the house aspect, and the sound ranges turned up a number of notches. It was our flip to return underneath strain. Shortly afterwards Viktor Gyokeres gained a free-kick proper on the sting of the realm, and took it himself, firing effectively over.

Again in cost

The momentum had swung, however in a single swift second, it was again in our favour. Odegaard broke into the realm and his progress was abruptly halted by a problem by behind from Ousmane Diomande. A penalty was awarded, and Saka stepped as much as rating decisively, his first away objective within the competitors.

With our three-goal cushion restored, we have been again in management. On got here the subs and two of them mixed for our fifth. Mikel Merino’s long-range shot was parried by Israel, and there was Trossard to complete off.

Ethan Nwaneri may have added a late sixth, however the job had effectively and really been performed by then.

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Arteta on assertion win over Sporting

Details and stats

We scored 5+ targets in an away match within the Champions League tonight for under the third time, and for the primary time since October 2008 (5-2 v Fenerbahce). We amassed an xG of three.89, our most on document for a match within the competitors (since 2013/14).

This was Sporting’s first defeat at dwelling throughout all competitions in over a 12 months, placing an finish to a 30-match unbeaten run.

Gabriel Martinelli’s objective with 06:43 on the clock was our quickest within the  Champions League since Theo Walcott netted in opposition to Basel in September 2016 (06:42), while it was our quickest objective in an away match within the competitors since Lukas Podolski at Galatasaray in December 2014 (02:01).

Kai Havertz’s objective was his one hundredth in his membership profession throughout all competitions, with the German netting 46 targets for Bayer Leverkusen, 32 for Chelsea and 22 for us.

Our 5 targets are as many as we managed in our earlier eight Champions League away matches mixed, having failed] to attain in any respect in 4 consecutive earlier away matches within the competitors earlier than tonight.

What’s subsequent

On Saturday we head throughout London to face West Ham United on the London Stadium within the Premier League, earlier than internet hosting Manchester United in midweek. We’ve three Champions League group stage matches remaining – the subsequent two each at dwelling, in opposition to Monaco (December 11) and Dinamo Zagreb (January 22).