Arsenal equal 122-year record with 3-0 win over Slavia

Arsenal equalled a 122-year-old club record of eight successive games in all competitions without conceding a goal, sweeping past Slavia Prague 3-0 on Tuesday night.

The win shot the Gunners to the top of the UEFA Champions League with four wins out of four.

Mikel Merino, playing as a makeshift forward in place of injured striker Viktor Gyokeres, scored twice in the second half after England winger Bukayo Saka had put the Premier League leaders ahead in the 32nd minute.

Arsenal, who introduced 15-year-old Max Dowman in the second half to become the youngest-ever player in the Champions League, have now won their last 10 matches in all competitions and looked unstoppable at the Fortuna Arena.

The only threat to the eighth successive clean sheet, matching a record dating back to 1903, came late in the game when VAR overruled a penalty decision following a Ben White challenge.

Otherwise, goalkeeper David Raya was largely a spectator as Arsenal produced another assured display despite injury absences.

“Emotionally I think we handled it very well. It shows the consistency we have; we dominated the defensive part of the game against a team that is very difficult to play against,” said manager Mikel Arteta.

“Tonight we made four changes from the weekend and they all performed really well. Overall, a really productive evening.”

Saka’s opener came from the penalty spot, the ball drilled low into the corner beyond Jakub Markovic’s dive.

The penalty was awarded after Gabriel’s header struck the raised arm of Slavia captain Lukas Provod, confirmed by VAR.

Arsenal ended the half with five shots on target and 63 per cent possession.

Merino made it 2-0 just 36 seconds after the restart, volleying home a cross from the unmarked Leandro Trossard.

He then added his second in the 68th minute, heading Declan Rice’s lofted ball past the goalkeeper to seal the win.

Trossard later made way for Dowman, aged 15 years and 308 days, who broke the Champions League record previously held by Youssoufa Moukoko (16 years and 18 days) with Borussia Dortmund in 2020.

“It doesn’t get any harder than this competition, and Max at 15 straight away looked to take people on and win free kicks,” said Arteta. “We have a massive player there.”