Arsenal secured a comfortable victory over Slavia, with Bukayo Saka converting a penalty and Merino netting a brace, while VAR played a role in key decisions throughout the match.
Arsenal secured a commanding 3-0 victory against Slavia Prague, maintaining their perfect record in the Champions League this season. Stand-in striker Mikel Merino stole the show with two goals, complementing an early penalty from stand-in captain Bukayo Saka.
The victory was a demonstration of the squad’s depth, particularly given key injuries and suspensions. Here is a review of the Gunners’ performances at the Fortuna Arena.
Goalkeeper & Defenders
David Raya 6/10
The Spanish goalkeeper faced an unusually quiet evening, as the home side did not manage to test him with a shot on target until the game’s final minutes. Despite the lack of action, Raya maintained a solid command of his penalty area and ensured no routine aerial balls or clearances became problematic.
Jurrien Timber – 6/10
The full-back was surprisingly subdued in the attacking phase of the game, registering few touches of the ball before his planned withdrawal in the 73rd minute. Defensively reliable, his contribution was functional rather than dynamic on this occasion.
William Saliba – 6/10
A relatively untroubled performance for the central defender. After Slavia’s early burst of energy faded in the opening 15 minutes, Saliba enjoyed a stress-free night, demonstrating calm positioning and sharp awareness when needed.
Gabriel – 7/10
Once again, the Brazilian center-back was a force at both ends of the pitch. While defensively strong, his most notable contribution came in the attack when his near-post run from a corner led directly to the penalty that opened the scoring for Arsenal.
Piero Hincapie – 6/10
Making his inaugural start in the Champions League for the Gunners, Hincapie delivered a competent display on the left side of the defense. He departed the field shortly after an apparent heavy tackle, though his substitution seemed to be a pre-arranged tactical decision.
Midfield
Ethan Nwaneri – 6/10
The young midfielder demonstrated tidy control and intelligent usage of the ball in the central third. However, he found it challenging to impose himself physically on the match, which limited his overall influence in breaking up the opponent’s play.
Christian Norgaard – 5/10
A difficult night for Norgaard, who ceded possession more readily than Mikel Arteta would have liked. His efforts in duels, both on the ground and in the air, were largely unsuccessful, indicating a lack of control in the midfield battle.
Declan Rice – 8/10
The engine of the team, Rice dictated the tempo, completing the most passes of any player on the pitch and, consequently, generating the greatest number of goal-scoring chances. His deep-lying distribution was capped with a fine assist, courtesy of the lofted cross that set up Merino’s second goal.
Attack
Bukayo Saka – 8/10
The temporary skipper continued his impressive form in European competition, calmly dispatching the penalty to get the score board moving. He is now the first Arsenal player in history to score in four consecutive away Champions League matches, underlining his decisive impact.
Mikel Merino – 9/10
Stepping into the number nine role due to Viktor Gyokeres’s injury absence, Merino delivered a striker’s masterclass. He capitalised on acres of space for his first goal and then exhibited brilliant instinct to nod home his second following a goalkeeper error. His finishing compensated for any limitations in his link-up play.
Leandro Trossard – 7/10
The Belgian forward was a continuous source of trouble for the Slavia defense, involving himself in countless dangerous Arsenal movements. He claimed a valuable assist for Merino’s opening strike, highlighting his consistent involvement on the left wing.
Substitutes and Manager
Eberechi Eze – 5/10
Provided little measurable impact after being introduced as a substitute, struggling to inject pace or creativity into the final stages of the match.
Max Dowman – 6/10
The 15-year-old continued his historic campaign by becoming the youngest-ever player to feature in the Champions League, a significant milestone for the young prospect.
Myles Lewis-Skelly – 6/10
Came on at left-back, providing fresh legs and tactical flexibility for the final quarter of the match.
Ben White – 5/10
Arrived as a simultaneous replacement at right-back. He benefited from a VAR intervention that correctly overturned an initial penalty decision against him.
Andre Harriman-Annous – 6/10
Also made his debut in the Champions League, entering the field at the age of 17.
Mikel Arteta – 9/10
The manager deserves high praise for skillfully navigating a challenging team selection due to a mounting injury list and one suspension.
His rotational choices and tactical setup were perfectly executed, allowing the team to secure an early, comfortable lead and providing the chance to rotate further in the latter stages.