Arsenal enjoyed a fine return to the Champions League as they cruised past PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium.
Six years of absence were soon brushed to one side – as were PSV – as a scintillating attacking display saw Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard score in a dominant 4-0 win.
The club’s hiatus from the top table of European football was so long someone felt it necessary to print the words to the Champions League anthem in the matchday programme and Arsenal’s players were certainly singing from the same hymn sheet.
Mohamed Elneny, back on the bench for the first time since a serious knee injury in January, was the only member of the current crop to have experienced Champions League football in an Arsenal shirt.
It did not take any of the tournament debutants long to make their mark on a new stage, however, as Saka struck inside eight minutes before Trossard doubled the lead, Jesus added a third before the break and Odegaard capped off a fine evening.
David Raya retained his place in the Arsenal goal having replaced Aaron Ramsdale for Sunday’s Premier League win at Everton.
Kai Havertz and Jesus came in for Fabio Vieira and Eddie Nketiah while Trossard deputised for the injured Gabriel Martinelli.
Saka set the tone for the evening, the England winger finishing after PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez pushed an Odegaard shot into his path.
Jesus should have doubled the lead moments later but could not make contact on Ben White’s low cross but the second came soon after as the Brazil forward led a counter-attack and played in Saka, who crossed for Trossard to strike.
It was one-way traffic at the Emirates as Havertz fired over before Jesus forced Benitez into a good stop and then got on the scoresheet himself with a fine effort from a deep Trossard cross.
With Arsenal hosting north London neighbours Tottenham on Sunday, boss Mikel Arteta took advantage of the big lead to take off his key men as the second half progressed.
All three goalscorers, as well as Oleksandr Zinchenko, were replaced before the 70-minute mark with the Gunners in complete control of proceedings at a rain-soaked Emirates.
There was still time for more goals, Odegaard not to be outdone as he angled home a fine finish to further widen the gap.
Under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal progressed from the group stages of the Champions League for 17 successive seasons, but the last seven of those ended in defeat in the last 16.
Arteta’s team have started Group B in fine style but the Spaniard will be under no illusions that his side will face more challenging tests if they are to go deep into the competition and successfully juggle European football with a Premier League title bid.
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw's record-breaking hat-trick powers Manchester City to 4-0 victory Over Tottenham Hotspur Women
Reggae Girl Khadija "Bunny" Shaw delivered a historic performance on Friday, scoring a hat-trick that led Manchester City Women to a dominant 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur Women in the Barclays Women's Super League (WSL). Shaw's incredible feat helped City extend their lead at the top of the table, reaching 19 points, four clear of Chelsea, who have played two games fewer.
Shaw, who has now scored seven goals in the league this season, wasted no time asserting her dominance, scoring just moments after kick-off. Bursting through on goal, she slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving City an immediate 1-0 lead. In the 15th minute, Shaw struck again, towering over defenders to head home a looping cross from Lauren Hemp. Tottenham’s goalkeeper and fellow Jamaican, Rebecca Spencer, got a hand to it, but Shaw's powerful header proved unstoppable.
City continued to apply pressure, and in the 66th minute, Jill Roord added to the scoreline. After evading a challenge, Hemp found Roord in the box, who shifted the ball onto her left foot and fired it into the roof of the net, making it 3-0. Just a minute later, Shaw completed her hat-trick. Hemp, instrumental throughout, drove down the byline and delivered a precise cross into the box, where Shaw was perfectly positioned to knock it home.
Shaw's hat-trick set new records in the WSL. She became the first player to record three hat-tricks against the same team and broke her teammate Vivianne Miedema’s record with her sixth career hat-trick in the league.
Facing her fellow Reggae Girlz teammates Drew Spence and Rebecca Spencer, Shaw showed why she is one of the most prolific strikers in the league, continuing to propel Manchester City to the top of the WSL standings with her record-breaking performance.
Arsenal 5-0 Brighton: Five-star hosts run riot in statement win
Arsenal got back to winning ways in the Women's Super League, brushing aside high-flying Brighton with an emphatic 5-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Three goals in 12 first-half minutes had put the Gunners out of sight to ensure Renee Slegers continued her unbeaten start as interim boss.
Beth Mead returned to the starting line-up and took just 13 minutes to get her name on the scoresheet, cutting inside from the right to bend a lovely shot into the far-bottom corner.
Brighton were picked apart down their left again shortly after, with Kim Little fizzing a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box, and Caitlin Foord was on hand to turn it in from close range.
Three minutes later, Frida Maanum got a stunning third, whipping a delightful finish into the top-right corner from the edge of the box, and Foord should have got their fourth on the stroke of half-time but fired against the post while off-balance.
Substitute Lina Hurting then rose high in the 76th minute to flick on a corner which neither Sophie Baggaley nor Guro Bergsvand could keep out despite their best efforts.
Stina Blackstenius was dragged down in the penalty area in stoppage time, and Alessia Russo confidently stepped up to bury the resulting spot-kick to send Arsenal fourth in the table.
Data Debrief: Off the mark at home
Slegers looks to have settled into life as Arsenal's interim boss seamlessly, and Arsenal avoided a slip-up against a tricky opponent to register their first home win of the season.
They have now won all 13 of their WSL meetings with Brighton by an aggregate score of 48-2, while it is the fifth clean sheet Arsenal have kept against them at home.
Mead also improved on her already impressive record against Brighton - against no side does she have more combined goals and assists than the Seagulls (13 - eight goals, five assists).
Luis Enrique confirms PSG squad rotation for Angers encounter
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique confirmed he will rotate his squad for their trip to the Stade Raymond Kopa to face Angers in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
The Parisiens' stuttering start to their Champions League continued in midweek, losing late on to Atletico Madrid to leave them 25th in the new 36-team league table.
PSG have lost five of their last eight games in the Champions League (W2 D1), as many as in their previous 19 games in the competition.
However, Luis Enrique's side have been impressive in the league and are currently six points clear of Marseille at the summit of the standings.
They also boast an impressive record against this weekend's hosts, winning 19 of their 20 encounters in all competitions (D1) against Angers.
"The most important match is tomorrow. Tomorrow, we'll rotate," Luis Enrique confirmed.
"I feel that with so little rest I need players. Angers are a highly motivated opponent who play at home.
"They can defend well and create problems in transition thanks to their wingers. I need all the players ready."
PSG will, however, be without William Pacho, who travelled to Ecuador on Thursday ahead of the international break and did not take part in Friday's training session.
Luis Enrique also insisted there had been a "blockage in finishing" in their recent fixtures in Europe, though they have not been shy of goals in Ligue 1.
In their midweek defeat, the Parisiens registered 22 shots compared to their opponents' four, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) of 2.12 to Atletico's 0.67.
However, PSG have scored a division-high 29 goals from their 10 games so far, and Luis Enrique is relishing the chance of rediscovering their clinical edge this weekend.
"After a match like Wednesday's, and I've been through others in my career, it's difficult. Emotions are going to absorb everything," he added.
"The result will make you see everything in a negative light.
"How am I feeling? Perfectly. The more difficult it is, the better. We're aware that there's a blockage in the finishing.
"There's no denying it, it's a general problem. We need to overcome that, through confidence, by trying to create clearer chances, and collectively.
"I know it's a medium to long term project, and there will be ups and downs."
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