Arsenal 4-0 Standard Liege: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Superb Martinelli Sinks Les Rouges

A Gabriel Martinelli inspired Arsenal ran out 4-0 winners over Belgian side Standard Liege at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night, tightening the Gunners’ grip on Group F in the Europa League.

The 18-year-old Brazilian prodigy opened the scoring with an expertly taken near-post header in the 13th minute, and added another three minutes later, this time a superb curling effort into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Joe Willock netted the third as Arsenal ran riot in the first half before Dani Ceballos wrapped things up in the second period with an acrobatic volley from Martinelli’s cross.


ARSENAL

Key Talking Point

For once, the team selection from Unai Emery was spot on, and thus warrants the ‘Key Talking Point’ accolade.

FBL-EUR-C3-ARSENAL-STANDARD

The Basque set his team out to attack Les Rouges from the very start, with Hector Bellerín and Kieran Tierney bombing down the wings as overlapping full backs. 

The inclusion of Ceballos and Willock gave the Gunners strength, dynamism and attacking threat from midfield, something Arsenal have lacked in the Premier League thus far.


Player Ratings

Starting XI: Martinez (7); Bellerín (7), Mustafi (7), Holding (7), Tierney (8); Torreira (7), Willock (7); Maitland-Niles (6), Ceballos (8), Nelson (7); Martinelli (9*).

Substitutes: Pepe (6), Guendouzi (7), Aubameyang (7).


STAR PLAYER – Was it really going to be anyone other than Arsenas new adopted son Martinelli? Fat chance. The winger-come-striker drove the Gunners forward with every attack in the first half and he continued his efforts into the second period.



The young forward warrants a starting berth and will almost certainly have given Emery a selection headache ahead of Arsenal’s game against Bournemouth on Sunday.


STANDARD LIEGE

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Milinkovic-Savic (4); Vojvoda (4), Vanheusden (4), Laifis (4); Gavory (4), Boljevic (5), Bastien (4), Cimirot (4), M’Poku (5); Lestienne (5); Emond (6).

Substitutes: Carcela-González (5), Avenatti (5), Amallah (4).


Looking Ahead

Following this resounding win, Arsenal return to the Emirates Stadium to face a Bournemouth side who currently sit eighth in the Premier League on Sunday.

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Meanwhile, second place Standard Liege take on fourth place Antwerp at the Bosuilstadion on Sunday in the Belgian First Division A.

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