Arsenal put on a show for returning fans

ON THE NIGHT supporters returned, the only shame was there were not more inside the Emirates to witness some of the football served up by Arsenal. No wonder Mikel Arteta has been so excited about the prospect of having fans back if this is the impact even just a little support can have on his team. Home has not been the happiest of places for Arsenal lately, losing their last three league games at the Emirates. Their last-32 place was already safe and they only needed a point to secure top spot. They could have coasted through the night but they put on a show to maintain their 100 per cent record in Group B. All four of Arsenal’s goals — from Alexandre Lacazette, fit-again Pablo Mari, Eddie Nketiah and

Emile Smith Rowe — were deserving of a bigger audience than the 2,000 allowed back in for the first game here with a crowd since March. Arteta’s team, entirely changed from the Wolves defeat, responded to the support, playing with pace, purpose and pinning Rapid Vienna back for most of the first half. Stand-in skipper Lacazette capped their dominant opening with a sublime 30-yard strike that swerved and dipped, deceiving Richard Strebinger in the visitors’ goal. Seven minutes later came Mari’s big moment. An ankle injury that required surgery had limited him to just three appearances since his January arrival, initially on loan. And it was clear what it meant to the defender when he headed in his first Arsenal goal from Reiss Nelson’s corner. Lacazette struck the post before Ainsley Maitland-Niles fluffed his finish after a solo run. Instead, the honour of scoring the next goal befitting the occasion went to Nketiah, who nodded in at the second attempt after a delightful team move full of first-time passes and telepathic movement. Koya Kitagawa was subjected to some pantomime boos when he denied Arsenal a clean sheet, firing in despite some defiant heroics from Runar Runarsson and Sead Kolasinac. But this was Arsenal’s night, underlined when exciting youngster Smith Rowe came off the bench and tapped in their fourth.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Runarsson 7; Cedric 7.5, Mustafi 7 (Chambers 70min, 6), Mari 7.5, Kolasinac 7.5; Maitland-Niles 7, Elneny 7.5 (Ceballos 62, 6); PEPE 8, Lacazette 8 (Smith Rowe 63, 7), Nelson 7.5 (Willian 63, 6); Nketiah 7.5 (Balogun 81). Subs not used: Leno, Saka, Tierney, Holding, Willock, Macey, Azeez. Scorers: Lacazette 10, Mari 18, Nketiah 44, Smith Rowe 66. Booked: Elneny, Mustafi. Manager: Mikel Arteta 8. Referee: Radu Petrescu (Romania) 7.