The idea is to play the extra games in January and make sure they do not have to play two more in the playoff round in February; to zoom straight into the round of 16. It continues to look pretty good.
This was the toughest tie Arsenal had left in the elongated group phase and Mikel Arteta had wanted to make it count. His team did exactly that. Bukayo Saka brought the cutting edge, his opening goal aided and abetted by Myles Lewis-Skelly, assured on a full debut at this rarefied level. When Saka scored his second, it was to kill off a Monaco revival that probably should not have been possible. Blame Arsenal's profligacy, with Gabriel Jesus the main culprit. Nobody was quibbling in the end when Kai Havertz, on as a substitute, flicked home the third from a Saka assist. Arsenal were frustrated at Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday. They rolled on here. Arteta was without five defenders through injury and his big move was to play Lewis-Skelly at left-back.
There is a swagger about the 18-year-old, a self-belief, and he helped to prise Monaco apart. It was noticeable that Arteta wanted him to step up and across into midfield. There was a moment during the congested opening exchanges when he fizzed a reverse pass up to Jesus, who got it back to Martin Ødegaard before the captain was crowded out.
Denne historien er fra December 12, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Denne historien er fra December 12, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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