Arsenal produced a stunning second-half display to dismantle Atletico Madrid 4-0 at the Emirates, with Viktor Gyokeres finally ending his goal drought and Gabriel leading by example at both ends of the pitch.
The Gunners, now boasting ten goals from set-pieces this season, were patient in the first half but ruthless after the break. Declan Rice and Gabriel dominated proceedings, while David Raya had a rare off night.
Arsenal Player Ratings
David Raya – 6/10
The usually composed Spaniard looked shaky, rushing out unnecessarily and nearly gifting Atletico a goal. Beaten by Alvarez’s curling effort that struck the bar, but still walked away with another clean sheet.
Myles Lewis-Skelly – 8/10
Picked up an early yellow but recovered well. His driving run through Atletico’s midfield and assist for Martinelli’s goal showed his growing confidence and quality.
William Saliba – 8/10
A calm and commanding presence at the back. Aside from one awkward clearance, the Frenchman was flawless.
Gabriel – 9/10
An absolute rock. Scored the opener with a powerful header and later assisted Gyokeres. His defensive awareness and leadership were top-class — subbed off to a standing ovation.
Jurrien Timber – 7/10
Impressive in his advanced role with strong deliveries and fluid link-up play with Saka. Continues to improve every game.
Martin Zubimendi – 8/10
Controlled the tempo from deep and contributed a delightful chipped pass leading to Arsenal’s third goal.
Declan Rice – 8/10
Missed a big first-half chance but made amends with two quality set-piece deliveries, both leading to goals. His precision and composure were vital.
Eberechi Eze – 7/10
Showed class and creativity in the first half, unlucky not to score. Faded slightly after the interval as others stole the spotlight.
Bukayo Saka – 7/10
Looked back to full sharpness after his hamstring injury. Caused endless problems down the right flank and combined well with Timber.
Gabriel Martinelli – 8/10
Energetic and determined to reclaim his place. Produced a brilliant curled finish reminiscent of Thierry Henry to spark Arsenal’s surge.
Viktor Gyokeres – 9/10
Persistence finally paid off. After seven goalless matches, he netted twice in three minutes — one scrappy, one opportunistic — to end his drought and restore confidence.
Substitutes
Cristhian Mosquera (Gabriel, 72’) – 7
Assured and composed. Continues to impress whenever given minutes.
Ethan Nwaneri (Eze, 72’) – 6
Showed neat touches and a crucial goal-line clearance.
Christian Norgaard (Zubimendi, 78’) – 6
Steady cameo as he regains match fitness.
Mikel Merino (Gyokeres, 82’) – N/A
Too little time to make an impact.
Ben White (Timber, 82’) – N/A
Arsenal’s emphatic win cements their strong start to the Champions League campaign, with Mikel Arteta’s side blending resilience, flair, and depth to devastating effect.
