Arsenal claim statement win over Bayern Munich to maintain perfect record

By Andy Sims, PA

Second-half goals from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli fired Arsenal to a 3-1 victory in their heavyweight Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Madueke, back after two months out with a knee injury, scored his first Gunners goal before fellow sub Martinelli pounced on a mistake from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to stretch Arsenal’s perfect record in the competition to five victories from five matches and leave them top of the 36-team table.

Earlier, Jurrien Timber had headed Arsenal into the lead and, with former Tottenham striker Harry Kane unable to add to the six goals he has scored at the Emirates, it was left to Bayern’s 17-year-old star Lennart Karl to grab the first goal Arsenal have conceded in the competition this season.

This glamour tie was arguably the least important of Premier League leaders Arsenal’s three matches this week, sandwiched between the 4-1 derby demolition of Spurs and Sunday’s trip to second-placed Chelsea.

Bayern had also won four out of four in Europe, so defeat for either side would do little to jeopardise their route into the knock-out stages.

Nevertheless, Arteta resisted the temptation to rest some of his big guns – such as weekend hat-trick hero Eberechi Eze – with the only changes coming at the back where Cristhian Mosquera and Myles Lewis-Skelly came in.

Kane had revealed beforehand that he found the Premier League less enjoyable to watch these days due to the prevalence of set-plays, so the England captain will not have enjoyed Arsenal’s opener.

Bukayo Saka directed a corner towards the near post and Timber glanced his header past the flapping Neuer.

But out of nowhere Bayern conjured up an equaliser, Joshua Kimmich pinging the ball out to former Gunners winger Serge Gnabry, who cushioned it first time into the path of Karl.

Cool as you like, the teenager – who became Bayern’s youngest Champions League goalscorer against Brugge last month – did not break stride as he crashed his first-time volley into the roof of the net.

Moments later a Kane pirouette in the area had Arsenal flustered until William Saliba hacked the ball clear at the second attempt.

After the break Saka, Madueke and Mikel Merino all threatened for the hosts before the second goal arrived in the 69th minute.

Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano gave the ball away, Merino swung in a low cross and Madueke pounced from six yards out.

Neuer then suffered a horrible moment as he came out to deal with Eze’s long ball, only for Martinelli to waltz past him and finish into an empty net.

‘Are you Tottenham in disguise?’ and ‘Harry, what’s the score?’ were the predictable chants from the home fans as they revelled in their old foe’s misery while celebrating a deserved, statement win against the German giants.