PEREZ EARNS PRAISE FROM GUNNERS BOSS

ARSENE Wenger praised Lucas Perez’s scent for goals after the forward’s hat-trick against Basle saw Arsenal finish top of their Champions League group.

Perez hit three goals as the Gunners wrapped up a comprehensive 4-1 victory in Switzerland, with Alex Iwobi adding a fourth and Seydou Doumbia grabbing a late consolation for the hosts.

The win, coupled with Paris St Germain scraping a draw at home to Ludogorets, means Arsenal advance to the round of 16 as group winners.

Perez tapped home two goals within eight first-half minutes before completing his hat-trick after the break.

Iwobi then finished from close-range as Arsenal outclassed their hosts, with Perez the star of the show having started just his fifth game since his summer move from Deportivo La Coruna.

The 28-year-old had only scored an EFL Cup brace over Nottingham Forest before last night, having also missed a period of games with an ankle injury.

“I think he took advantage of the fact we created good c h a n c e s b u t h e ’s a goalscorer,” said Wenger.

“He scored more than 20 goals in Spain and that’s no coincidence,” said Wenger.

“So overall I think that he’s shown he has a good smell for a goal in the box. The first two looked easy goals, created by the team to make, what you call in England, tap-ins.

“But he (Lucas) is there. The third was a real striker’s goal.”