Arsenal hit Lille for three in seven minutes to maintain perfect Champions League start

Arsenal scored three goals in seven second-half minutes to defeat Lille and maintain their perfect start to the UEFA Champions League league phase at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners broke the deadlock in the 64th minute when defender Jurrien Timber collected a pass from Noni Madueke before lifting a clever finish over Lille goalkeeper Berke Ozer.

England international Eberechi Eze doubled Arsenal’s advantage three minutes later, finishing first time from a cross delivered by substitute Bukayo Saka.

Saka then got on the scoresheet himself in the 71st minute, calmly rolling the ball into the net to complete Arsenal’s three-goal burst and secure their second victory in the competition.

The result followed Arsenal’s earlier win over Napoli and strengthened their position in the league phase.

Manager Mikel Arteta had made five changes to the team that defeated Leeds United 2-1 in the Premier League at the weekend. However, the attacking combination of Eze, Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres struggled to create clear-cut chances during a largely unproductive first half.

Arteta resisted making sweeping changes at the interval, and his decision paid off when Timber found the breakthrough after the restart.

The Arsenal manager subsequently introduced Saka, Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard, with the substitutes playing important roles in the goals that followed.

Saka provided the assist for Eze’s strike before scoring Arsenal’s third to put the result beyond Lille.

The victory continued Arsenal’s impressive record in the competition following their run of eight consecutive wins in the league phase of the previous campaign. Although they eventually lost the final to Paris Saint-Germain, the north London side have again made a strong start to their European campaign.

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