Arsenal scored three goals in seven second-half minutes to beat Lille 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium and continue their winning start in the Champions League.
The Gunners were frustrated for an hour, but Jurrien Timber's superb finish, lifted over the goalkeeper from Noni Madueke's pass, opened the floodgates. Eberechi Eze added the second with the help of a slight deflection from substitute Bukayo Saka's pass, and Saka added the third himself after slick interplay with Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz.
Mikel Arteta rotated his side, making five changes from the 2-1 win over Leeds as Arsenal begin a run of eight games in 25 days. Their substitutes helped ensure they followed up last month's win over Napoli with another victory. Bruno Guimaraes, starting for the first time at the Emirates as an Arsenal player, and Eze missed their best chances in the first period, but Lille could not contain the Gunners once Timber broke the resistance. Lille did not register a shot on target, although Olivier Giroud received a positive reception on his return to the Emirates as a substitute.
The victory extends Arsenal's winning run in the league phase to 14 games, as last year's runners-up aim to go one better. Saka, who had been challenged by Arteta to score "two or three goals per game", needed only six minutes after coming off the bench to find the net, having already provided an assist with his first touch. His display was all the more impressive given he had been unwell. Saka is up to four goals for the season for Arsenal, with another two on international duty with England.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing