Arsenal vs Monaco LIVE: Champions League result and reaction after Bukayo Saka double helps hosts to victory
Arsenal 3-0 Monaco: Kai Havertz added a third goal late on as Mikel Arteta’s side continued their strong Champions League campaign
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal took another step towards the Champions League knockout rounds as Bukayo Saka struck twice to help beat Monaco.
The hosts climbed back into the top eight of the league phase table with a 3-0 victory that always looked likely to be secured. Saka opened the scoring amid a flurry of first-half chances after good work in the build-up from youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly, utilised at left-back on his first Champions League start, and Gabriel Jesus.
And it was the England star who put the result beyond doubt 12 minutes from time, capitalising on a horrendous error in possession from visiting goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki. Ten minutes later, a third arrived as Kai Havertz’s shin diverted a Saka drive on to Thilo Kehrer’s foot and into the roof of the net.
Three more points leave Arsenal well placed to secure a potentially vital top eight finish that would spare them the added inconvenience of a two-legged play-off fixture. They face Dinamo Zagreb and Girona in their final two fixtures in January.
Re-live all of the Champions League action in our live blog below:
Arsenal vs Monaco
Out the players come into the chilly evening Emirates air, following along behind an Italian officiating team led by Davide Massa.
A big night for Myles Lewis-Skelly
Born in Islington, Myles Lewis-Skelly has been at Arsenal for nearly a decade already and is rapidly making strides at senior level. Usually a midfielder, how will he go at left-back tonight?
Arsenal vs Monaco
This is Monaco’s first meeting with English opposition since their thrilling Round of 16 encounter with Manchester City, a two-legged tie that really announced the arrival of Kylian Mbappe as a force on the European stage. We’d take that sort of game tonight.
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Miguel Delaney is at the Emirates for us tonight, ready to tuck in to some footballing action after a day dominated by a rather significant story.
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Mikel Arteta piles praise on Monaco ahead of meeting
“They’re a really good side, you see the run they’ve been on in the Champions League and in the league, especially against top opposition, so a real threat. A team that is superbly well organised, really intense, really good in transition moments as well with a lot of quality, so it’s going to be a very good test for us.
“We have a really good link as well with Arsene [Wenger], Thierry [Henry] as well. There’s a big history there. It’s a very special club, a special place, so we welcome them here and will hopefully be better than them to try to win the game.”
Mikel Arteta on Kieran Tierney
It is a bit of a surprise to see Kieran Tierney given the comments of his manager yesterday.
“He is ready, he’s training really well and he’s going to have an opportunity for sure,” Mikel Arteta said of Tierney. “The way the team is looking at the moment, he is going to do that for that reason and because he’s earned it. The way he’s behaved, the way he’s been with us because he’s willing to do it and when that happens, you have to give those opportunities to players.”
Monaco boss Adi Hutter on the challenge his side face
“It will obviously be a very big match for us, but we are here in London to showcase our style of play; committed football. It is difficult to face us, and we will be on the lookout for any opportunity. We don’t just want to be good opponents.
“They are very strong at set pieces, it’s a real weapon for them. They train a lot on this, but we have an idea of how we should defend them. And we can also be a threat to them in this area, because we too are very efficient.”
Team news - Monaco
With no Denis Zakaria, Soungoutou Magassa is handed a starting midfield role for the visitors.
Monaco XI: Majecki; Vanderson, Salisu, Kehrer, Henrique; Magassa, Camara; Akliouche, Ben Seghir, Golovin; Embolo.
Team news - Arsenal
Youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly makes just his second senior start for Arsenal with the 18-year-old picked ahead of Kieran Tierney at left-back. Gabriel Jesusr leads the line.
Arsenal XI: Raya; Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Timber, Tierney, Robinson, Heaven, Monlouis, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling, Havertz.
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