Arsenal took a firm grip in Group F of the UEFA Europa League after securing a comprehensive 4-0 win over Standard Liege earlier this evening.
The Gunners were unstoppable and completely outclassed the hapless Liege side that looked frustrated during the final phase of the game. The north London giants made a fiery start to the game, getting in front through Gabriel Martinelli’s goal in the 13th minute.
The Argentine scored another goal three minutes later, doubling Arsenal’s lead. It served as a hammer blow for Liege, but there were more to come as Joe Willock further increased the hosts’ lead by finding the back of the net in the 22nd minute.
The game was already over by then, and while Arsenal did try to score more goals, the first half ended 3-0. Then, a second-half goal from Dani Ceballos added further gloss to the scoreline as the Premier League giants maintained their excellent form in Europe.
Here is how Unai Emery’s men fared during their 4-0 rout of Standard Liege.
Emiliano Martinez 7
Barely had anything to do this entire evening as the Belgian side managed only one shot on target. Certainly had a quiet time when compared to the previous game against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Hector Bellerin 8
Returned to the starting lineup and showed Arsenal exactly what they were missing in the right-back slot. The Spaniard looked excellent in the build-up and didn’t look clumsy with the ball at his feet. Combined well with the attackers in the final third while his pace was also useful.
Shkodran Mustafi 8.5
A clumsy pass in the first half was a small blip in an otherwise excellent performance from the German outcast, who continues to redeem himself by putting in remarkable defensive displays in cup games. Mustafi played a key role in dealing with the threat of Renaud Emond.
Rob Holding 8
Came in for David Luiz and like a no-nonsense centre-back he is, cleaned up the long balls from Liege while making a couple of important tackles during defensive phases.
Kieran Tierney 10
Impressed yet again in what was his second start for his new club. The Scot went up and down the pitch like a wizard. But, what caught the eye was his deliveries from the left-flank. He notably provided the ball that led to the opener in the 13th minute of the game.
Moreover, Tierney’s ability to carry the ball out from the back disrupted Standard Liege’s pressing scheme. Overall, he was one of the best performers of the night.
Lucas Torreira 8
A matured performance from the Uruguayan international, who was aware of his role and stayed back most of the time. His presence in midfield restricted the opposition from making any inroads while he also got rid of several loose balls.
Dani Ceballos 9
It was arguably the best performance from Ceballos for Arsenal. The Spaniard dictated the tempo of the game and carried the ball across half-spaces, evading the Liege press. He also supplied a few cutting edge passes in the final third and acted as the catalyst for the Arsenal attack.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles 6
Had a promising start to the game when he operated in his preferred right-wing role. But, his form faded away. So the 22-year-old could be in danger of falling down the pecking order, especially with Bellerin returning and Nelson doing well.
Joe Willock 8.5
Willock has always impressed Emery so far this season and tonight was no exception. The young English playmaker offered tenacity and pace in the attack while his ability to make driving runs into the box made it difficult for the opposition to retain their defensive stability. A goal during the first quarter of the game extended his tally to three this season.
Reiss Nelson 8.5
It was yet another explosive performance from Nelson, who flourished on the left wing with his mazy runs and skilful dribbles. The ex-Hoffenheim star also provided a lot of dangerous crosses, though he was unlucky not to score a goal.
Gabriel Martinelli 10
After a promising display against Nottingham Forest, the youngster once again stole the show by scoring two early goals. Aside from the goals, however, the Argentine ran rings around the Standard Liege defence and was almost impossible to stop at times. He is certainly making a case – this youngster.
SUBSTITUTES
Nicolas Pepe 6
Replaced the ineffective Maitland-Niles in the 66th minute but failed to provide the incision Arsenal were missing on the right flank. However, the Ivorian’s trickery kept the defenders occupied till the very end.
Matteo Guendouzi N/A
Came on for the tiring Willock in the 73rd minute and offered additional support to Torreira as the anchorman in midfield.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang N/A
Replaced Nelson in the 79th minute and tried to formulate a couple of scoring opportunities.
