Arsenal 3-1 Bayern: Rampant Gunners sweep aside Munich

Goals from Jurrien Timber, Noni Madueke and Gabi Martinelli seal glorious Champions League victory for top quality Gunners

Rampant Arsenal posted yet another statement victory in the middle of a magnificent week for the Gunners, by overpowering Bayern Munich on a joyous Wednesday evening in North London.

The fully deserved victory ensured Arsenal moved to the top of the 36 team Champions League table, underlining their current supremacy both domestically and on the continent.

Such heady times for Gooners - and while Munich’s young prodigy Lennart Karl reminded everyone there are more gilded teenagers in the Champions League than simply Estevao and Yamine Lamal, it was the dominant home side that had the final say in a match that saw that simply swept aside Vincent Kompany’s Bundesliga leaders.

Karl, a talented 17-year-old who hails from deepest Bavaria, equalised ten minutes after Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber put the home side ahead on 22 minutes.

However, Mikel Arteta’s rampant Gunners are more than a match for Europe’s finest these days, and utterly dominated their German visitors in the second half - with goals coming from Noni Madueke and Gabi Martinelli to seal a victory that was savoured immensely in North London, especially from those who attended all three of those 5-1 humiliations at the hands of Munich in the dying days of the Arsene Wenger era.

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Arteta made two changes from the side that thrashed a woeful Spurs side in Sunday’s North London Derby, with Cristhian Mosquera and Myles Lewis-Skelly drafted in for Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori.

Fit again club captain Martin Odegaard was included on the bench, along with Noni Madueke and Gabi Martinelli.

Mikel Merino continued up front in Viktor Gyokeres continued absence, even if the former Sporting Lisbon striker is now on a personally tailored training programme in a bid for the Swede to be fit for Sunday’s top of the Premier League blockbuster against Chelsea.

As for the storied German visitors, England captain Harry Kane started for Bayern, as the former Spurs striker aimed to add to his tally of six goals in ten appearances at Arsenal’s home ground. Former Crystal Palace attacker Michael Olise also made the line-up, alongside Bavarian teenage talent, 17-year-old Lennart Karl completed their attacking trident.

Arsenal’s Eberechie Eze and Olise became good friends from their three years together at Palace, with their relationship strengthened through their mutual love of chess.

It was no surprise that the match started in a similar fashion, with both teams pushing and probing each other for a weakness, without fully committing even if after only 180 seconds, Declan Rice delivered a tantalising ball into the box, that saw William Salibia heading over when well-placed.

The opener came on 22 minutes when Timber glanced the ball into the net from Bukayo Saka’s corner as the home crowd erupted in joy for the second huge match in succession.

Given Arsenal’s solidity at the back, it almost came as a surprise when Munich equalised through Karl on 32 minutes, sweeping home former Gunner Serge Gnabry’s cross to make the score 1-1/

The youngster, playing in a deeper No10 role behind Kane, certainly had the swagger required for such a high profile role, not least when taunting the home support after his goal.

The equaliser meant that only Barcelona’s Yamal has scored more goals as a 17 year old in Champions League history than Karl, who became the second youngest player to score in consecutive Champions League appearances (17 years and 277 days), behind Yamal (17 years and 270 days).

Yet it was Arsenal who also would mark their name in the record books with their fifth win in succession in this completion, to lead the cream of Europe.

Starting with intensity and intent, Saka fired over moments after the interval, even if on closer inspection the alert Neuer helped flick the ball over the bar. That was prior to Mikel Merino’s effort failing to test the veteran German keeper, following a spell of Arsenal pressure shortly afterwards. The makeshift striker then headed straight at Neuer in the Bayern goal, as the home side strove for a second.

To underline the Gunners dominance as the North London rain fell, Merino’s flicked header narrowly flew the wrong side of the post on 56 minutes.

Mosquera was then denied by Neuer at the near post after making contact with Rice’s inswinging corner.

The goal simply had to come. It did.

Substitute Madueke - on for the limping Leo Trossard in the first half - slotted home Riccardo Calafiori’s cross to put the Gunners ahead once again on 69 minutes.

Two became three on 77 minutes when Martinelli powered past an onrushing Manuel Neuer to cooly slot home for 3-1 as the home crowd erupted once again.