Arsenal equalled their highest ever European away win as they won 5-1 at Sporting CP in the Champions League.
Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel were on target during a dominant first half for the Gunners at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, which had witnessed an impressive 4-1 dismantling of Manchester City in their last Champions League game.
Goncalo Ignacio pulled one back for the hosts early in the second but Bukayo Saka’s penalty restored their three-goal lead before Leandro Trossard made it five late on.
The victory bolsters Mikel Arteta’s side’s hopes of qualifying straight through to the knockout stages after climbing to seventh in the Champions League standings.
Arsenal made an impressive start against a weary Sporting and got the goal their pressure deserved seven minutes in when Jurrien Timber played a brilliant ball across on the right for Martinelli to tap home.
Their dominance continued and the source of their second also came down the right when Bukayo Saka fired the ball square across goal for Kai Havertz to find the net.
And by half-time, it seemed as though the Gunners already had the game wrapped up when Gabriel made it 3-0. The centre-back was unmarked as he crashed Saka’s header in from close range.
Needing a vast improvement from the first half, the hosts ignited hopes of a second-half comeback when Goncalo Ignacio pulled one back within minutes of the restart.
The centre-back outmuscled Riccardo Califiori at the far post to head home Francisco Trincao’s corner to reduce the deficit. They were then presented with a promising free-kick from the edge of the box but Viktor Gyokeres skewed his effort high and wide.
And the Gunners eventually restored their three-goal lead when Martin Odegaard won a penalty by jinking past Ignacio before being wiped out by Ousmane Diomande.
Saka stepped up to fire home the spot-kick to put the visitors back in command and extinguish Sporting’s momentum.
Trossard grabbed Arsenal’s fifth with eight minutes to go when substitute Mikel Merino’s strong effort was palmed only into the path of the unmarked Belgian, who had the freedom of Lisbon to head into an open net.
Gyokeres crashed an effort off the bar after a late breakaway but it was not enough to reduce a resounding victory for the North Londoners ahead of Saturday’s London derby against West Ham.
