Arsenal had waited six years for the Champions League to return to the Emirates – and there will be many more nights here this season should they continue to play like this. A triumphant return to European football’s top table was punched by a blistering attacking display that blew PSV apart; the Dutch visitors offered little opposition, but Arsenal’s front three were too good, all of Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus scoring in the first half to set the Gunners towards a comfortable opening victory in Group B.
Jesus led from the front on his first start of the season, the player in the Arsenal squad with the most experience in this competition showing how it was done as he tied together an attacking line-up named by Mikel Arteta. Around him, Arsenal purred. Saka and Trossard superb on the flanks, Kai Havertz looking a little less lost in midfield, even as the outstanding Martin Odegaard continued to show the levels there are still to reach. The Norwegian would add Arsenal’s fourth in the second half with a fizzing low strike from the edge of the box.
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