ARSENAL thumped Bayern Munich 3-1 in a clash of the English and German league leaders on Wednesday to maintain their perfect record in the Champions League this season.
The Gunners dominated the second half after 17-year-old Lennart Karl pulled the Bundesliga team level, with Noni Madueke restoring Arsenal’s lead and fellow substitute Gabriel Martinelli taking advantage of a huge blunder from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Bayern started the match at the Emirates top of the Champions League table, just above the Gunners, with both teams having won four games out of four.
The game took time to come alive but the Gunners went ahead in the 22nd minute when Jurrien Timber headed home a Bukayo Saka corner, with a flailing Neuer unable to intercept.
The goal underlined Arsenal’s relentless brilliance from set-pieces.
Eberechi Eze, who scored a hat-trick in Sunday’s 4-1 win against Tottenham, had a glorious chance to double the Gunners’ lead but scuffed his shot wide.
Arsenal had looked relatively comfortable but Bayern were back in the game in the blink of an eye in the 32nd minute, courtesy of a strike from Karl.
Joshua Kimmich played a superb diagonal ball that was laid off first time by former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry and Karl finished confidently past David Raya.
Arsenal were quickly on the front foot in the second half, with Neuer pushing a fierce Saka shot over the bar.
Karl then surged down the right and into the home side’s penalty box but his weak shot was easily collected by Raya.
As the intensity built, Arsenal’s Mikel Merino failed to connect properly with another dangerous corner before Neuer saved a Cristhian Mosquera header from point-blank range.
Now it was all Arsenal.
Neuer was called into action again, saving with his legs as Declan Rice bore down on him, with Saka unable to turn in the loose ball.
But the pressure finally paid off with just over 20 minutes to go, when Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano played a loose ball that was picked up by substitute Riccardo Calafiori on the left.
He crossed and fellow substitute Madueke turned the ball home.
There was worse to come for Bayern when Eze sent a long ball over the top, with Neuer well outside his area.
Martinelli’s first touch took him past the stranded goalkeeper and he had a free run at goal, maintaining his nerve to slot home.
The delirious Arsenal fans taunted Bayern forward Harry Kane, a former Tottenham player, with a chant of “Harry, Harry, what’s the score”.
Both clubs remain well placed to finish in the top eight of the 32-team league phase of the Champions League, which guarantees automatic passage to the last 16.