Arsenal laid down a statement at the Emirates as they ended Bayern Munich’s unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 win in the Champions League to move top of the 36-team table and maintain their perfect start in the competition.
Jurrien Timber nodded the Gunners in front from a set-piece before 17-year-old wonderkid Lennart Karl levelled before half-time.
Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli secured the victory for Mikel Arteta’s side in the second-half as the hosts dominated proceedings after the break.
Ex-Tottenham man Harry Kane, who was returning to his former club’s fierce north London rivals, cut a largely anonymous figure as the Bundesliga leaders’ perfect start in Europe’s elite tournament came to an end.
The temptation before kick-off was to label this the meeting of an irresistible force and an immovable object. And that seemed evident from the off, the tempo of the game starting in electric fashion.
Bayern were straight out the blocks, dominating possession with the impressive 17-year-old Lennart Karl – playing behind Kane in the number 10 role – at the heart of the action.
However, it was the hosts who would open the scoring after 22 minutes. And it came from a familiar source; Bukayo Saka’s inswinging corner flicked in by Timber at the near post after the Dutchman beat Manuel Neuer to the ball.
It was a moment that cranked the noise levels inside the Emirates up a few notches. The goal shifted momentum as Arsenal began to grown into the match.
Eberechi Eze squandered a great chance when he attempted to square the ball to Saka when a shot may have been a better option.
The miss proved costly. Moments later, a sublime long pass from Joshua Kimmich found the run of Serge Gnabry whose cushioned volley across the box was blasted home by the increasingly-influential Karl.
The Gunners began the second-half brightly. Saka fizzed an effort over before Mikel Merino’s header at the far post was straight at Neuer.
At the other end, Karl then got the better of Myles Lewis-Skelly down Bayern’s right, but his tame finish was held by David Raya.
Merino again missed a great chance from another set-piece when his downward header bounced agonisingly wide of the goal.
Arsenal were now in the ascendancy. From another dangerous delivery, Cristhian Mosquera’s nod required Neuer’s intervention to prevent the hosts regaining the advantage.
The game was living up to its pre-match billing. Declan Rice went close after a lung-busting charge into the Bayern box but once again Neuer was on hand to keep the score level.
Riccardo Calafiori was introduced off the bench, and the Italian’s impact was instant. His whipped cross found Madueke at the back post and the England winger made no mistake, thumping home to put the Gunners back in front.
Martinelli, another substitute, added a third eight minutes later when he skipped past the onrushing Bayern keeper before rolling into an empty net to cap off a fine night under the lights for Arsenal in north London.
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