Brilliant Bukayo rescues Freddie’s Gunners

from TONY BANKS in Liege players, they showed courage and commitment on a tough night.

But they were sweating up to 70 minutes last night after being battered and bullied by an average Standard side – and looked like they might even lose by the five goals which would have eliminated them.

But then Saka took charge. The Ealing-born teenager, a product of the Gunners academy starting only his 10th game for the club, made a goal for Alexandre Lacazette and then netted the equaliser.

He had been a menace down the left all game and he thoroughly deserved his reward.

But that defence? If Carlo Ancelotti was watching this display, he will have been rapidly changing his mind about sending in his CV. It was a predictably nervous start by the Gunners as Konstantinos Mavropanos, playing his first senior game of the season, gave the ball to Mehdi Carcela, but Arsenal escaped as the Standard forward struck his shot straight at Emiliano Martinez.

Ljungberg was clearly taking a risk with such an inexperienced team and obviously he had Sunday’s Premier League clash at home to Manchester City in mind.

But when they did break the Gunners looked dangerous. Saka was the main threat as he forced Standard keeper Arnaud Bodart to save with his legs and then parry his fierce shot.

Then a minute after half-time the thin Gunners line finally broke when Samuel Bastien scored with a shot from 20 yards that took a deflection off Sokratis.

They got a second through Selim Amallah with a shot which deflected in off Mavropanos. The Belgians were beginning to believe a miracle might well be on the cards, then out of nowhere Saka’s 78th-minute cross was nodded in by Lacazette.

Three minutes later Saka curled a lovely low shot into the corner and the Gunners’ worries were over.

“At two-nil down we could have folded. But we kept going and got back in the game,’’ added Ljungberg.

‘‘It was a gamble with these young players but I believe in them.

‘‘They showed belief in how they can play and their quality. Their reaction was great and that heart, fight and belief was amazing to see.’’