BY REUTERS
Bukayo Saka once again proved the catalyst for Arsenal as his double helped secure a relatively smooth 3-0 home victory against AS Monaco that put the Londoners in sight of the Champions League knockout stage on Wednesday.
Mikel Arteta’s side began the fixture outside the top eight in the expanded league stage and with plenty of work to do to avoid being dragged into the playoffs.
It was not all plain sailing for the hosts who were guilty of some profligate finishing but England forward Saka took his season tally to nine goals in all competitions as Arsenal moved into third place in the table.
Arsenal, who have Dinamo Zagreb and Girona still to play, have 13 points while Monaco, who began the evening level with them, are 16th with 10 points.
Saka swept in a Gabriel Jesus cross in the 34th minute and just when it looked as though a succession of misses by his teammates could prove costly, Monaco presented him with a gift-wrapped second in the 78th minute.
Substitute Kai Havertz rubber-stamped Arsenal’s fourth win from six games in this year’s competition in the 88th minute.
“In the first half we should have put the game to bed but we didn’t,” Arteta said. “In the Champions League you will have difficult moments and we suffered.
“Then with the second goal the game was in control.”
With defensive injuries forcing his hand, Arteta gave a first Champions League start to 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly and the left back played a key role in Saka’s opener.
GREAT VISION
Shrugging off a challenge, he showed great vision to pierce Monaco’s defensive line with a pinpoint pass to Jesus who slid the ball across the area for Saka to convert.
“A really proud moment,” Arteta said of Lewis-Skelly. “He is one of our own and a joy to watch. It’s great we can trust him to play in this environment.”
A youthful Monaco’s initial poise evaporated after the opener and they were fortunate not to be buried before the interval.
A dreadful mistake by Soungoutou Magassa sent Martin Odegaard clear through on goal. The Norwegian looked certain to score but rolled his shot wide of the post.
Jesus, who has scored only once in 19 appearances this season, had earlier spurned a one-on-one and another good chance, both times denied by Monaco keeper Radoslaw Majecki.
His fellow Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli was also guilty as Arsenal arrived at halftime somehow only one goal ahead.
Heartened by those escapes, Monaco threatened to make Arsenal pay in the second half with Thilo Kehrer flashing a header just wide from a swinging free kick and former Liverpool player Takumi Minamino then shooting too close to David Raya when the ball was cut back to him in the area.
Breel Embolo grazed the post with a shot on the turn as Monaco grew in confidence and Arsenal looked jittery but they then shot themselves in the foot.
Defender Mohammed Salisu and his keeper Majecki got in a complete mess under no pressure, Havertz nipped in and the ball squirmed to Saka to score into an empty net.
Monaco have now suffered successive defeats in the competition and with Aston Villa and Inter Milan still to play, their top-eight hopes look slender.
“First of all, a deserved victory for Arsenal. Too many gifts from our side, it’s not acceptable at this level,” Monaco coach Adi Hutter said. “I was happy with the first 20 minutes and also until the second goal. The second half was really brave, but in the end there were too many big mistakes.”
