Arsenal have issued a strong warning to the European "big guys" when extending their perfect start in the UEFA Champions League group stage with a 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich. Thereby, affirming her position as a strong candidate for the championship.
Goals from Jurrien Timber, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli ended Bayern's unbeaten streak in all competitions this season and helped the "Gunners" stay away from the 3-point chase group.
Lennart Karl equalized for Bayern in the first half, creating hope of maintaining an unbeaten record, but Arsenal showed superiority in the second half. Substants like Madueke and Martinelli took advantage of the opportunity to score, contributing to the home team's important victory.
In the tense match, both Mikel Arteta and Vincent Kompany received yellow cards for their reaction on the touchline, but Arsenal were the team that kept their spirits up and won all 3 points.
Arsenal deserved to win
Both teams entered the match with perfect results in this season's Champions League. However, Arsenal were the team that left the field with the perfect record after an explosive performance in the second half at Emirates Stadium.
Starting slowly, Bayern gradually took control of the game in the first 45 minutes, leaving Arsenal with only 37.4% possession - their lowest rate in the first half since the loss to Liverpool in January 2022. Although Arteta tries to stay calm on the touchline, Bayern is still a big challenge for his in-form team.
However, The Gunners found a solution in the second half to regain the advantage and preserve the victory, consolidating their lead in the Champions League. Currently leading both domestic and European competitions, the "Gunners" will aim for a victory against Chelsea this weekend, continuing to affirm that they are an almost invincible team.
A tough match for Lewis-Skelly
Arsenal have only made two changes to their squad that crushed Tottenham 4-1, with Myles Lewis-Skelly replacing Riccardo Calafiori at left-back. However, this decision was ineffective.
Lewis-Skelly has been exploited continuously by Bayern. An accurate cross-court pass that led to Karl's equalizer took advantage of the 19-year-old's mistake, creating an opportunity for Serge Gnabry to escape.
In the second half, Karl and Michael Olise easily overcame Lewis-Skelly, forcing Arteta to replace him just a few minutes later. In contrast, Calafiori came on and immediately made a positive impact.
All of this comes under the eyes of England manager Thomas Tuchel, who is watching in the stands just a few weeks after leaving Lewis-Skelly out of the national team due to lack of playing time. Despite being an excellent talent, this teenager still needs to prove a positive reaction after the challenges.
Timber and Rice show their value
While Arteta was ready to change the defence, he kept Timber in the squad, despite Ben White waiting patiently. Timber is certainly an excellent defender, and with Gabriel Magalhaes out injured, the Dutchman's ability to participate in attack and shoot from set pieces becomes even more important.
Another key factor that helped The Gunners turn the tables in the second half was Rice's excellent performance. The midfielder has contributed greatly to the organization of attacks, supporting two substitutes to score goals - also known as the "shoters" as Arteta calls them.
Bayern were completely overwhelmed and no one touched the ball more than Rice (66 times). And it was Saliba who had more defensive interventions for the home side than the England midfielder.
