Arsenal maintained their perfect Champions League record with a 3-0 victory over Slavia Prague at the Fortuna Arena. Mikel Merino scored twice as a makeshift centre-forward, while Bukayo Saka converted a first-half penalty. The result extended Arsenal's winning streak to 10 games and equalled a 122-year club record with an eighth successive clean sheet.
Arsenal travelled to Prague looking to extend their unbeaten run, having won their previous nine games in all competitions and kept seven clean sheets. Slavia Prague, the reigning Czech champions with five consecutive clean sheets domestically, started with intensity, pressing high and creating early chances. Lukas Provod shot narrowly wide, and Youssoupha Mbodji tested from distance, but Arsenal's defence held firm.
The breakthrough came in the 32nd minute when a corner from Saka deflected off Provod's arm after a Gabriel header, leading to a VAR-awarded penalty. Saka buried the spot-kick into the bottom right corner, giving Arsenal the lead. The Gunners then dominated, with Leandro Trossard and Saka forcing saves from goalkeeper Jakub Markovic.
At halftime, the score was 1-0. Within 30 seconds of the restart, Trossard crossed for Merino, who volleyed home to make it 2-0. Arsenal nearly extended the lead when Saka shot weakly at Markovic after a pass from Declan Rice. Slavia pushed forward, but Gabriel's last-ditch tackle denied substitute Mojmir Chytil.
Merino added his second in the 69th minute, diverting a looped pass from Rice past Markovic. Late on, Slavia thought they had a penalty when Ben White tangled with Provod, but referee Aliyar Aghayev overturned the decision after reviewing on the pitchside monitor.
With 17 minutes remaining, Mikel Arteta substituted Max Dowman, who at 15 years and 308 days became the youngest player ever to appear in the Champions League. Arsenal's eighth clean sheet matched a club record from 1903. Manager Arteta praised the 'mindset' of his players, saying, 'The most pleasing thing probably is not the record, it’s the mindset of the players. They are talking there about how we can still do better.' He also lauded Dowman's debut: 'That’s personality, that’s courage and you cannot teach that.'
Arsenal top the Premier League by six points and remain one of five teams with a 100% Champions League record after four games. Their next match is against Sunderland in the Premier League.
