Arsenal claimed a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich to boost their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stage this evening.
After losing their opening two Group F games, the Gunners produced an impressive display to keep out the visitors as late goals from Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil clinched the points.
Below, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the key talking points from the game.
Match statistics
ARSENAL
Shots: 13
On target: 8
Possession: 27%
Corners: 5
Fouls: 9
BAYERN MUNICH
Shots: 21
On target: 6
Possession: 73%
Corners: 11
Fouls: 7
Was the result fair?
It would be unfair to take anything away from Arsenal on a night when they produced a magnificent defensive performance, but in truth, Bayern probably should have claimed a point from the game. However, they paid the price for lacking a cutting edge in the final third of the pitch for the first time this season. The statistics tell us that much, with Bayern dominating possession for most of the match but struggling to create clear chances when they pushed for a breakthrough in the second half. Arsenal remained resilient at the back, and they capitalised on a couple of mistakes to collect the points. On another evening, Bayern may have scored first and it could have been a very different story. Instead, it was the hosts who came out on top in a game decided by fine margins.
Arsenal's performance
For too many years, it was easy to accuse Arsene Wenger of being tactically stubborn. It did not matter who Arsenal were playing, his side would attack in numbers and ensure the game remained open until the final whistle whether that meant the opposition continued to create chances or not. Something has certainly changed. The Gunners struggled to cope early on, but they quickly adjusted to show sides how to stick to a defensive shape against Bayern, who were simply not offered a clear path to goal. Much of the credit should go to Wenger, who asked his attacking players to take more responsibility defensively. Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker led by example with a couple of fantastic performances, but it was the way the whole side stuck to their task which was key.
Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez threatened with their pace on the break in the first half, and despite the chances of a break seeming to disappear after the interval, the Gunners continued to look to hit the visitors quickly on the counter. At times, a lack of composure in midfield invited more pressure from Bayern, but the Gunners continued to stick to their approach until hitting the Bundesliga champions with a double blow late in the game. It was the kind of performance which Arsenal, and English sides in general, should be producing more of in the Champions League. Discipline was the key and the display breathes new life into their Group F campaign.
Bayern's performance
Pep Guardiola will not get too angry with his players, nor will he panic after this defeat ended a run of 12 successive wins in all competitions. Bayern have a clear philosophy and they will continue to stick with the approach which has served them well. Tonight, that approach did not bring the results expected by the Spaniard. It would be unfair to suggest that Wenger beat him in the tactics battle, but Bayern certainly found it difficult to break down such a disciplined defence. However, Bayern are used to coming up against sides who sit deep in order to frustrate them. This was more of a case of the visiting players not showing that clinical edge in the final third of the pitch. Thomas Muller was on the fringes of the game for too long, while Robert Lewandowski struggled to break free of the shackles placed on him by Koscielny and Mertesacker.
In midfield, it was a familiar story as Xabi Alonso, Thiago Alcantara and Arturo Vidal dictated the tempo, while the latter two often threatened with their runs off the ball in the first half. Thiago and Vidal both seemed to find it tough to do the same after the break, and it was clear that Bayern were not moving the ball with the same pace that they had done in the opening 45 minutes. Alonso was one of the first players to be removed, which came as a surprise after he controlled the game for so long. Bayern refused to change too much, but with no-one going beyond Lewandowski in the closing stages, Arsenal started to look comfortable defending with everything being played in front of them. The visitors certainly have the right to feel aggrieved about the opening goal, with Giroud clearly touching the ball with his hand after miscuing a header from a few yards. It was a poor decision, but Guardiola will be aware that his side were not at their best going forward, which is possibly the most surprising fact of the evening.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Petr Cech: Koscielny, Mertesacker and Nacho Monreal all could have been the name in bold after playing key roles in shutting out the Bayern attack, but it is the Arsenal goalkeeper who made the key contributions. After lacking a world-class goalkeeper for so many years, Cech showed why Wenger was right to sign him. He made solid saves to deny Vidal and Thiago in the first half, and produced an excellent stop to keep out Lewandowski's deflected strike after the break. Collecting crosses took the pressure of the defence, too, as Arsenal produced a memorable rearguard performance.
Biggest gaffe
Lewandowski has not done much wrong this season. However, the Polish striker wasted a big opportunity in stoppage time when he flicked the ball past Koscielny to set up a chance, before hesitating at the crucial moment to allow the Arsenal centre-back to recover. He should have rescued a point for Bayern, but his mistake allowed Arsenal to wrap up the game moments later.
Referee performance
Cuneyt Cakir played his part in a very good game. He kept the contest flowing by never taking too long over decisions as the match flowed at an enjoyable pace. His assistants were not at their best, though, with the official behind the goal somehow managing to miss the ball strike Giroud's hand when the Gunners broke the deadlock. The same official did well to spot the ball cross over the line when Ozil doubled the lead, but Bayern will not be happy about the opener.
What next?
Arsenal: The Gunners welcome Everton to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday as they target a fourth successive win in all competitions.
Bayern: Guardiola's side will look to bounce back when they aim to protect their 100% Bundesliga record against FC Koln at the Allianz Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Callum Mulvihill
