NOW HE’S A PEP STAR!
Bad boy runs show and Gunners are heading through
NICOLAS PEPE bounced back in style from his red card madness to fire Arsenal into the Europa League knockout stages.
Sent off for a headbutt against Leeds, £72million forward Pepe gave one of his best performances for the Gunners ahead of a three-match domestic ban, scoring the opener.
Reiss Nelson added a second with his first European goal and teen starlet Folarin Balogun came off the bench to score his first senior goal for the club.
But it was Pepe that Arteta hailed afterwards. He said: “We all know where his level is. The question is how often he can get to that level and contribute to all aspects of the game.
“He is capable of doing it. He is a real threat in the final third. He can shoot, he can cross, he can go in behind. That’s what we expect from him.
“I am really pleased. After a disappointment, something negative, you want to see a reaction. I could see from the first minute, from his body language, he was ready to act.
“He scored, could have scored again, and worked really hard for the team. I am really pleased with that.”
Alexandre Lacazette, who captained the team, forced Molde keeper Andreas Linde into a decent save with his legs as Arsenal dominated the early stages on the hosts’ artificial pitch.
But Sheriff Sinyan and Fredrik Aursnes threatened for Molde as the Norwegians were keen to avoid a repeat of the 4-1 scoreline in north London three weeks ago.
Molde also had a handball appeal against David Luiz turned down by Bosnian referee Irfan Peljto as nerves jangled for Arsenal.
Eddie Nketiah was denied a certain goal just before half time by a brilliant clearing header from Sinyan, and Pepe rattled the crossbar with a screamer just after the break.
But he was not to be denied, and Pepe curled in a beauty shortly afterwards. Joe Willock quickly created a second with an inch-perfect low ball which Nelson prodded in.
Arteta emptied the bench after that, and two of his subs combined when Emile Smith Rowe set up Balogun for number three.