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.

Gabriel Jesus is ready to teach Arsenal’s Champions League newcomers all about a competition he used to skip school to watch as a boy.

The Gunners return to Europe’s elite club competition after a six-year absence, having finished second in the Premier League last season.

A number of Mikel Arteta’s players have yet to taste Champions League football, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and William Saliba set to make their debuts in the tournament against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night.

Jesus, meanwhile, scored 14 goals in 22 Champions League appearances for Manchester City and came off the bench as his former club lost the 2021 final to Chelsea.

“I remember the times I watch at home, the times I missed school to watch and my mum got crazy,” the Brazil forward said of why he holds the competition in such high regard.

“It starts from there. It was different to hear the music, to see the best clubs. All the leagues, the best clubs go. I think this helps a lot, then it is a different game, a different competition.

“If I talk, I get in trouble! As a kid, you do things you don’t control. Like I said to the kids: don’t do it, go to school.

“When I was a kid, 14, 15 years old, and I tried to go to the clubs to do tests to stay in the club, I always chose school.”

Having gone from playing truant to watch the Champions League to starring in it, Jesus will be key to any hopes Arsenal have of going deep into the tournament.

The 26-year-old, who has recovered from a second knee surgery in the past eight months, revealed his team-mates are already getting excited ahead of the visit of PSV and has backed them to shine.

“Yesterday, some of them were joking in the gym, putting the (Champions League music on),” he added.

“I’m sure everyone is happy, not just the players, the club, the fans, it goes a long way without playing in this competition, now Arsenal are back.

“A club like Arsenal cannot stay without playing that competition so everyone at the club is very happy.

“Everyone here is already experienced to know how to control emotions and these kind of things. Some of them, it is the first time they play in the Champions League.”

Arteta will also be taking charge of a team in the competition for the first time and believes Arsenal are back where they belong.

“Proud and excited I would say,” he said of his feelings on the eve of the opening Group B encounter.

“It’s been a long time for the club since we’ve been in the competition and obviously the first time for me as a manager as well.

“We’ve been chasing it and fighting for it and now we’ve got it. Now we have to make the most out of it and it starts at home.

“Every time that I watched it and we weren’t there I felt it. This club has to be in the Champions League and when I have the job that I have, the responsibility is to try and bring the club to the biggest stages, the biggest tournaments and then be fighting for them.”

What the papers say

England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, 25, is attracting transfer attention after being dropped to the bench for Arsenal’s match at Everton. The Daily Mail reports that Chelsea and Bayern Munich are keeping an eye on the situation as he battles David Raya for the Gunners’ starting role.

Newcastle are lining up a potential £52million move for Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta, 26, according to the Daily Mail. Paqueta had been linked with an £80m move to Manchester City this summer but, amid an investigation into alleged betting breaches, he ended up staying at West Ham.

Real Betis are the latest suitors for former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, 32, reports The Sun via Fichajes in Spain.

Chelsea have secured one of their young talents for another year, according to the Evening Standard. Defender Alfie Gilchrist, 19, has reportedly extended his contract until 2025.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Jose Maria Gimenez: Manchester United are being linked with Atletico Madrid’s Uruguayan defender, 28.

Serge Gnabry: United are also reportedly lining up a bid for the Germany forward, 28, from Bayern Munich.

The Champions League returns this week with all four Premier League sides kicking off their campaigns having had very different relationships with this competition in recent seasons.

Manchester City are out to defend their crown, whilst Arsenal and Newcastle are back after lengthy absences, although Eddie Howe’s side have had by far the longer wait at 20 years.

Manchester United, meanwhile, will be looking to bring Erik ten Hag some respite from a disappointing start to the domestic season.

The PA news agency looks at the four sides the English clubs will face first.

Manchester City v Red Star Belgrade (Tuesday)

Red Star Belgrade clinched a record 34th league title in comprehensive fashion last season, finishing the campaign unbeaten and dropping only 14 points along the way.

They had to contend with the resignation of their manager, the former Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic, in August 2022 after the team were eliminated in the Champions League play-off round, though his replacement Milos Milojevic enjoyed a seamless transition as the club cantered to a sixth straight crown.

This season has seen another managerial change with the club appointing the Israeli Barak Bakhar, whose Maccabi Haifa side were responsible for Red Star’s Champions League elimination last August.

Central to last season’s success was winger Aleksandar Katai who weighed in with 19 goals, though with the country’s top stars increasingly been lured to foreign teams, the club is acclimatising to a new reality in which virtually none of the current Serbia side play for them, an unthinkable situation until recent years.

The club had to be bailed out in April by over £2million of government money, a month after they had settled  an outstanding hefty tax bill. It all means Bakhar’s team has been assembled on a budget and could struggle against treble-winning City.

AC Milan v Newcastle (Tuesday)

On paper, Newcastle could not be facing Milan at a better moment, coming off the back of their humiliating 5-1 defeat to city rivals Inter on Saturday.

Reports in Italy suggest that manager Stefano Pioli will respond by altering his line-up with former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic, who has started all four league games and scored twice since moving to Serie A, in line to be dropped in favour of summer signing Samuel Chukwueze.

England international Fikayo Tomori could also return in central defence after missing the Inter thrashing through suspension.

The 2021/22 Serie A champions had made a solid start to the season prior to the weekend with three wins from three, having adapted well to the loss of Sandro Tonali – who has recovered from injury and is available – following his move to St James’s Park.

Pioli’s team have been predictably roasted by the Italian press since Saturday’s humbling loss and are under pressure to make a fast start to their European campaign.

Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven (Wednesday)

PSV romped into the group stages with a 5-1 win in the second leg of their play-off against Rangers, but it came off the back of a disappointing campaign last season under the now departed Ruud van Nistelrooy.

They were ultimately unable to recover from a poor first half of their Eredivisie season, despite beating eventual champions Feyenoord 4-3 in September and winning 2-1 at Ajax in November which saw them go top.

Form deserted them either side of the World Cup and though they largely righted things they were unable to keep pace with an astonishing 13-game winning run from Feyenoord from February onwards.

Van Nistelrooy walked out in May after winning the KNVB Cup citing a lack of management support amid a reported player revolt, and former Ajax and Borussia Dortmund boss Peter Bosz is the man now tasked with winning the club’s first title since 2018.

Bayern Munich v Manchester United (Wednesday)

Manchester United fans sang “we’ll see you next season” to transfer target Harry Kane when their team played at Tottenham in April but they had not expected it to be in the colours of Bayern Munich.

The England captain will be reuniting with an old foe from the country where he made his name sooner than he might have imagined and does so with four goals under his belt from his first four Bundesliga games for the champions.

Bayern are second in the league after conceding an equaliser in the fourth minute of added time against Bayer Leverkusen on Friday.

Thomas Tuchel won this competition with Chelsea in 2021 and the comprehensive manner in which Bayern were eliminated by Manchester City in last season’s quarter-final was a source of bitter personal disappointment.

Injured pair Kingsley Coman and Raphael Guerreiro are back in training ahead of the game against United, with the latter still yet to make an appearance since signing from Dortmund.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard welcomes the increased competition within the squad – highlighted by manager Mikel Arteta now choosing to rotate his two goalkeepers – as he believes it will make them stronger.

David Raya, who signed on loan from Brentford and on whom the Gunners have a £27million option to buy, made his debut in the 1-0 victory at Goodison Park, which extended their unbeaten start to five matches.

It means England international Aaron Ramsdale’s position as established number one is likely to be challenged over the coming weeks, but Odegaard said that principle should apply to the whole squad.

That was evident as Leandro Trossard came off the bench for the injured Gabriel Martinelli to score the only goal in the second half, but it is the position of goalkeeper which is set to remain the major talking point.

“I think it showed the depth in the squad now. We have so many quality players, the players on the bench can come on and change the game if we need it,” said the Norway international.

“The competition for places is huge and I think that is a great thing for us and helps a lot.

“You see in training every day the quality we have so everyone has to be on their best every day in training and that’s a good thing and will help us improve as a team as well.”

On Ramsdale’s response to being dropped at Goodison Park, having started England’s friendly victory over Scotland just a few days previously, Odegaard added: “I think he will just keep working hard, like he is always doing.

“He was there supporting us, cheering for us, helping us. He is a great character and he showed a very good response today by backing his team-mates, being there and giving us energy.

“Excellent from him. We have two good goalkeepers there and it’s big competition.

“Two top goalkeepers, different qualities, and both so good on the ball and in the goal as well.

“We are lucky to have two such good goalkeepers and we will see who will play, but both of them are excellent.”

Victory at Goodison Park, where they had not won in their previous five visits, was psychologically important to keep pace with the rest of their top-four rivals and the manner of the performance, having to grind out three points despite not being at their best, was pleasing for the Gunners captain.

“It was a tough one. We knew it was a tough place to come, it’s been a tough place for Arsenal for a long time, but I think we did really well and deserved the win as well so very happy,” he added.

“It’s a tough team and they play a bit different, and we had to deal with a lot of different things.

“But we knew it would be a tough game, but were ready for it and I think we did really well on the pitch to fight and get the goal in the end so credit to the team and happy for the win.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta revealed he could substitute his goalkeepers during future Premier League matches after his side’s 1-0 win at Everton.

Arteta handed summer loan signing David Raya his debut in place of England keeper Aaron Ramsdale at Goodison Park and the Spaniard saw little action as Leandro Trossard’s solitary second-half strike proved decisive.

When asked about his decision to start with Raya, Gunners head coach Arteta said: “The same rationale about why Fabio (Vieira) played here or Eddie (Nketiah) or Gabriel Jesus.

“I haven’t had a single question on why Gabriel Jesus didn’t start. He has won more trophies than anybody else, including me, in that dressing room.”

Arteta, whose side were far from convincing as they extended their unbeaten start to the season with a fourth league win, said he would be prepared utilise two goalkeepers in one match.

“I cannot have two players in each position and not play them,” he said. “David has tremendous qualities, like Aaron has, like Karl (Hein) has and we have to use them.

“I am a really young manager and I have only been in the job for three and a half years and I have few regrets in what we have done.

“One of them is that on two occasions I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes in two games in this period, to change the keeper in that moment and I didn’t do it.

“I didn’t have the courage to do it. But I am able to take a winger, or a striker and put a central defender back and go to a back five to hold that result.

“And we drew those games and I was so unhappy and someone is going to do it and maybe it (the reaction) will be, ‘oh! That is strange. Why?’

“Why not? Tell me why not. You have all the qualities in another goalkeeper and you want to do something to change the momentum, do it.

“It is a regret that I have and my feeling is to get everyone engaged in the team. They have to play regardless of the competition. Do it. That is my message.”

Everton defended bravely, but offered little going forward and rarely threatened to score their first Premier League goal in three matches at Goodison this season.

The Toffees’ one point from five matches is their worst tally since 1994-95 and manager Sean Dyche admits he expected a greater return at this stage.

“I thought we would have more points on the board by now but you can’t give the ball away that many times,” he said.

“That link on transition was missing and we weren’t effective enough. We are conceding softish goals.

“Our growth is where we are. There is a reality. Last season nothing was solved. I’ve said there is massive work to be done.”

Leandro Trossard’s goal ended Arsenal’s woeful run at Goodison Park but the nature of their 1-0 victory over Everton was far from convincing for would-be Premier League title contenders.

The Belgium international’s second league goal for the club he joined in January was a paltry return for the dominance the Gunners enjoyed but it proved enough to halt a sequence of four defeats and a draw in L4.

But it was enough to extend this season’s unbeaten run and lift them back to within two points of leaders Manchester City and behind only Tottenham and Liverpool on goal difference.

For a team who enjoyed so much possession, Mikel Arteta’s side created very little with it until Trossard’s 69th-minute breakthrough – highlighted by starting centre-forward Eddie Nketiah’s paltry 10 touches before he was withdrawn three minutes before the goal.

Arsenal will have wished he had one fewer as it was his lay-off returning from an offside position which resulted in Gabriel Martinelli’s first-half goal being ruled out for offside.

On-loan Brentford goalkeeper David Raya was similarly underemployed having been handed his debut as part of Arteta’s rotation policy between the posts and the manager will not have learned much about his fellow Spaniard against an Everton side short on shots and attacking intent.

However, squeezing out a win on a ground which has recently proved a huge stumbling block for the north Londoners will have at least given the Gunners boss some satisfaction and the travelling support sang their appreciation of a scoreline with which they have become synonymous.

Not so his Everton counterpart Sean Dyche, whose side have now lost all three home matches this season, have only one point and remain in the bottom three and facing a third successive relegation dogfight.

While they posed little realistic threat, they did not do much wrong in frustrating their opponents for long periods and the return of Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a second-half substitute and winger Dwight McNeil starting his first game of the season should offer some grounds for optimism.

But with only two goals, both scored at Sheffield United immediately before the international break, and with summer signing Beto showing every inch of the “rawness” Dyche claimed he had, something has to improve up front.

The same could have been said for Arsenal on this occasion as they did not really pick up the pace until the start of the second half when Martin Odegaard forced Pickford to parry a fierce shot.

But desperation was started to show on the hour when the players frantically appealed for handball after Oleksandr Zinchenko’s drive from distance hit the diving James Tarkowski but his arm was tucked into his body.

Both managers decided a change of strikers was what needed to change their luck in the 66th minute and Calvert-Lewin – wearing a protective mask after a recent facial injury – and Gabriel Jesus arrived at the same time.

But it was first-half substitute Trossard who made the difference from an Arsenal short corner.

The ball was worked between Zinchenko and Odegaard to Bukayo Saka whose cutback was cleverly steered in left-footed via the far post by the Belgian for his first goal since February.

However, it was not much of an improvement on a forgettable first half, in which Everton matched the visitors for shots on target (one) despite having only 20 per cent possession, and the only real talking point was Martinelli’s disallowed 19th-minute goal.

Beto, making his home debut, charged down Gabriel and the ball rebounded to Nketiah, who laid off to Fabio Vieira to thread a pass in for his team-mate to curl a shot past Jordan Pickford only for VAR to chalk off the effort.

It was Martinelli’s last involvement as injury forced his replacement by Trossard.

Abdoulaye Doucoure wanted a penalty after breaking from midfield, lobbing Declan Rice, and cutting inside onto his right foot only to be clipped by William Saliba but referee Simon Hooper saw no infringement.

Mikel Arteta lauded “tremendous” Gabriel Jesus who he claims “changed Arsenal’s world last season”.

Gunners boss Arteta could start the Brazil striker for the first time this term at Everton on Sunday after he recovered from a spate of injuries.

Jesus has made two substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring last time out in the 3-1 victory over Manchester United on September 3.

But Arteta insists the former Manchester City forward’s game is about more than goals.

“He is a tremendous player,” said Arteta, whose side finished runners-up in the Premier League in 2022-23.

“A really important player for us. He changed our world last season. You could all see that. He is going to be a really important player for us.

“I think he brought a different energy, a different belief, a different threat, a different fear to opponents.

“And he did it in a really natural way and I think he contributed hugely to the step that we had last season.

“He tracks a lot of attention and players in the way he plays and creates space for others and that’s a big quality.

“When you sign a player you know, who has done it in the league and he’s got the hunger to join us for the right reasons – it was a no-brainer for us to do it and we could see the impact he had straight away in the team.”

Arsenal’s last win at Goodison Park came in 2017 and they have scored just twice in their last five visits.

Former Everton player Arteta talked up Sean Dyche’s side and identified the levels his players need to be at if they are to take all three points.

“For me Everton’s quality is not physicality, it’s what they do and they play really well and Sean (Dyche) does well at doing that,” Arteta added.

“Just talking about physicality doesn’t reflect the qualities they have, the reasons they do it, the intentions they have, how they build sequences and momentum in matches. There’s a lot of work there so it is much deeper than that in my opinion.

“They know (Arsenal players on how hard Everton away is). Obviously we have experienced it so there’s a level of focus and attention you need when you play against a team like that.”

Arteta praised Eddie Nketiah after he featured in Gareth Southgate’s England squad earlier this month, despite the striker not playing a single minute during victories against Ukraine and Scotland.

He said: “I think it’s a big point to be named in the England national team, it’s a big point.

“I was really happy and proud of him and it’s the coaching staff’s decision (on who starts) and he’s going to have to earn the right to play, that shows you the level there is there.”

Mikel Arteta admitted he has an emotional connection with Everton and expects his former side to put up a battle when Arsenal travel to Goodison Park in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arsenal reignite their Premier League bid with a trip to Merseyside where they face Sean Dyche’s Everton, who are unbeaten at home against the Gunners since 2017.

Arteta praised his former side’s attributes and highlighted the special connection between himself and the Toffees.

“I’m really excited about it, the last six years we have not won there so we are going to have to earn it,” Arteta said.

“We know we are going to have to be at our best to beat them there and that’s something we haven’t managed to do so that’s where we are going to start.

“It is a big emotional connection I have to that football club with many years I spent there, the incredible memories that I have so I’m always grateful. It’s a big part of my playing career and as a coach I have to play against them and we have to beat them.

“We’ve been here and we’ve been to grounds before where we haven’t won before and we’ve done it so it’s about understanding the importance and knowing what we lacked in those games and putting it right.

“Sometimes you cannot avoid a battle (with Everton), the style of play they have is very clear and they’re very good at that.

“We have a different one and it’s about trying to impose your way of playing and the tactic is just to make sure your opponent’s strengths are hiding and that ours are coming out every single time to fulfill the potential of your players, and that’s what I think both managers and players will try to do.”

Arsenal’s Champions League opener against PSV next week is their first time back in the competition since the 2016-17 season.

The Spaniard embraced the challenge of a difficult schedule alongside another battle with Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League this season.

“We played three games a week last year, but the Champions League is obviously different with the expectations and that we’ve been away from it for seven years,” he added.

“It’s excitement, this is where we want to be and when you look at the fixtures and the games we are going to have to play, I think everyone is really looking forward to it.”

Arsenal terminated Nicolas Pepe’s contract on Saturday after the Ivorian failed to hold down a starting role at the Emirates since his reported £72 million move – then a club-record fee – in 2019.

Arteta said: “What I can say is that he’s a phenomenal boy, he trained really hard, it’s not his fault that the amount of money we paid at the time.

“When things aren’t working out you have to move on and there’s no point when things aren’t working either way.

“The decisions has been made and I think it’s in the benefit of both parties.”

Arsenal have confirmed the departure of former club record signing Nicolas Pepe.

The Gunners paid £72million to sign the forward from Lille in 2019 but he made only 43 Premier League starts and Arsenal have now agreed to terminate Pepe’s contract with a year remaining.

The Ivory Coast international, who spent last season on loan at Nice, has already secured a move to Turkey, signing for Trabzonspor.

Arsenal said in a statement on arsenal.com: “We can confirm that Nicolas Pepe is leaving the club. We have agreed with Nicolas to terminate his contract with immediate effect.

“Everyone at Arsenal thanks Nicolas for his contribution during his time with us and wish him well for the future.”

Pepe never found his feet at the Emirates Stadium and became an increasingly peripheral presence, starting his last Premier League game for the Gunners back in October 2021.

Monaco's sporting director Thiago Scuro believes the Ligue 1 club is the perfect place for Folarin Balogun to "reach the next level".

Balogun joined Monaco in a move potentially worth £34.4million in August, with Arsenal electing to cash in on the United States forward.

Speaking to Stats Perform at the Thinking Football Summit in Porto, Scuro outlined his confidence that Balogun and Monaco will be the perfect match.

"He's a young and top-talented striker, who had a very strong season in Ligue 1 last season," Scuro said.

"So he's fully adapted to the league, and [we are] fully confident about what he can do in the league. Now it's our job to help him reach the next level in his career, as he is recently an international for the US.

"He's a young player with an Arsenal academy profile, which [means] he brings very, very good and strong skills with him."

Balogun, who came on from the bench to make his Monaco debut in a 3-0 win over Lens on Saturday, is set to compete with Wissam Ben Yedder for a starting spot.

"We are excited to have him on board competing now with Ben Yedder, who is a legend at the club and the top scorer," Scuro added.

"Internal competition is one of the concepts that I truly believe [is key] for success."

Balogun netted 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances while on loan at Reims last season. Only Kylian Mbappe (29), Alexandre Lacazette (27) and Jonathan David (24) scored more times in France's top flight.

Monaco have enjoyed a flying start to the new season, winning three of their four Ligue 1 games. No team in Europe's top five leagues has scored more goals than the 13 managed by Adi Hutter's side.

"I think the playing idea and Adi Hutter's playing style, which is very offensive, very aggressive when we don't have the ball, very aggressive when we have the ball, and the players' commitment to this, is, of course, also very key," Scuro said.

"Considering the quality of our players, we are going to score. The challenge is also that this model also drives you to be very exposed [defensively]. That's why defending together and working hard is important."

Despite Monaco's strong start, Scuro is not getting carried away.

"Of course, it is good to start in a good place and in a good position, because it brings confidence and brings good energy to the daily routine," he added.

"But it's only the beginning. What matters in football is how you finish, not how you start. So we are very happy to have a good start, but we also know that it's a long journey, with a lot to do, and we still have to improve our performance in so many areas.

"This is our focus. It has to be. Taking care of the details, which is going to make us stronger for the next stage."

Arsenal sealed their place in the Champions League qualifying first-round final with a 3-0 win against Linkoping in Sweden.

Caitlin Foord and Lina Hurtig both scored with second-half headers before substitute Stina Blackstenius’ late effort sealed their progress.

Arsenal captain Kim Little’s early penalty was saved and Lotte Wubben-Moy’s first-half header was pushed on to a post.

The Gunners – who handed England striker Alessia Russo her debut – will face Paris on Saturday for a place in the two-legged second qualifying round.

Celtic registered their first win in a Champions League tie as Kelly Clark’s second-half goal earned them a 1-0 win against Brondby in Oslo.

Clark’s emphatic finish following a 68th-minute corner saw the Ghirls advance to the final of their round one group where they will play Valerenga.

Glasgow City secured their place in their round-one group final after beating Shelbourne 2-0 in a morning kick-off and will now face Lithuanian side Gintra.

Kinga Kozak’s effort for Glasgow before the break hit the crossbar and second-half goals from Brenna Lovera and Lauren Davidson saw the Scottish side progress.

Glasgow’s next opponents Gintra knocked Cardiff out of the competition as two goals from Nigeria forward Juliet Bassey in Siauliai sealed a 2-0 win.

Irish Premiership champions Cliftonville’s first-ever Champions League tie ended in an 8-1 defeat to Benfica in Lisbon.

Marie D’Anjou headed Benfica into a first-half lead and after Fionnula Morgan’s own goal, further efforts from Lucia Alves and Andrea Falcon gave the hosts a 4-0 interval lead.

Lara Martins added two more for Benfica early in the second half and Caitlin McGuinness headed Cliftonville’s first European goal before Alves and Beatriz Nogueira extended the Portuguese side’s lead.

Eddie Nketiah insists he never felt that his chance to represent England had passed him, by even after Arsenal team-mates Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe got the jump on him on the international stage.

The 24-year-old, England’s all-time record goalscorer at Under-21 level, received his first senior call-up for the upcoming games against Ukraine and Scotland but is now ready to make his “own story” with Gareth Southgate’s side.

Nketiah made his Arsenal debut six years ago and last turned out for the Under-21s in 2021.

He has scored 34 goals in 136 games for the Gunners, starting with a memorable home debut off the bench against Norwich – scoring a brace to secure victory in an EFL Cup tie.

Despite bursting onto the scene, Nketiah’s options were limited to the lesser cup competitions and a disappointing loan spell at Leeds in the Sky Bet Championship was seen as another setback.

All the while, Saka and Smith Rowe were emerging as the next precocious academy talent off the Hale End production line – the former now a firm favourite of England boss Gareth Southgate.

Asked if he was concerned he may have missed his own international opportunity, Nketiah replied: “I’m still young.

“Everyone’s journey is different. In this day and age everyone needs to focus on their own story and their own journey, not look at anyone else’s. Our career paths have been totally different. We’ve had different opportunities at different times.

“I’ve always been someone who’s trusted in God, trust in myself, believe in the process step by step. It might not always happen exactly when you want it but if you keep putting in the work and doing the right things it will come.

“I am playing for a great club and a big club at Arsenal. These tough games will be a different and new experience but it is about doing as well as I can, showing my quality this week, and hopefully getting an opportunity to go out there and help the team.

“I think I am a much better player now than I was two or three years ago. It is really nice and I am coming in at a good time.

“I feel confident and I feel ready to continue to improve – that is the thing, I’m still young and humble enough to know I am not the finished article.

“Coming away with these players and being able to show my quality and learn from them is really good for me and (to) continue to take those steps in my career.”

Nketiah could have opted to switch allegiances, with Ghana – the birthplace of his parents – putting feelers out to attract him to play for the Black Stars.

But, once the England call came, the former Chelsea youngster knew he had made the right decision.

He added: “I think obviously both sides were always an option.

“I think naturally coming through the academy at England, you have the aspiration to play here and once the call-up was there and the offer was on the table it was really hard to turn down, something which I felt was a natural progression for myself at this stage.

“I felt now was a good time to make that step so obviously I’m really happy to be here and proud to be here. Hopefully I can go on and help the team this week and get some caps.”

A 42-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after football pundit Roy Keane was reportedly headbutted at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

Footage was posted on social media of fellow Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards pinning a man against a wall in the moments after the alleged assault on Sunday.

The Metropolitan Police refused to identify anyone involved in the incident, but issued a statement that said: “Police are investigating an incident at Emirates Stadium on Sunday, September 3, during which a man was assaulted.

“On Monday, September 4, a 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault (ABH). The man has been taken into police custody.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”

Sky confirmed that Richards had attempted to “defuse” the situation after the alleged assault following Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United.

A spokeswoman said: “We understand the police are investigating an alleged assault by a member of the public immediately preceding the footage circulating on social media.

“In the footage seen, Micah Richards was acting to defuse a situation.”

Any witnesses or those with information can contact the Metropolitan Police on 101 quoting the reference CAD 6961/3 Sept.

Gabriel Jesus wants to kick on and get his rhythm back after the Arsenal striker scored for the first time since overcoming a nagging, frustrating knee issue.

The 26-year-old impressed after joining from Manchester City last summer but was laid low in December with an injury sustained in Brazil’s World Cup group game against Cameroon.

Jesus did not return to action for Arsenal until mid-March and had to go back under the knife last month due to irritation with the original knee problem.

The striker made his second substitute appearance since then on Sunday, when he completed a memorable late 3-1 Premier League comeback win against Manchester United.

“I’m feeling good,” Jesus said after the Emirates Stadium triumph. “It’s tough when you just come back from injury.

“After a holiday, I started to feel in my knee again. It was unlucky for me. It’s tough.

“After pre-season, you go and try but you feel in pain. And then I made the decision to do surgery as quickly as possible to come back stronger.

“That was tough, but now I’m getting back. It’s so important to get the rhythm again, so, yeah. I’m back. I feel good and I’m happy.”

Jesus says he felt completely fine at the end of last season and only once felt his knee play up at the end of a training session, but even then it felt fine the next day.

His right knee continued to feel fine during his post-season holiday and the start of pre-season, only for the issue to flare up again.

“When I came back, in the first week, still nothing,” Jesus said. “Then after I started to feel it. And for me, it was (a case of) if I’m not 100 per cent, I won’t be myself. I was trying.

“Personally, I’m good with the pain, so I was keeping playing and training.

“I was feeling it a little bit, but for me it was nothing. But then we hit a point when I couldn’t run or move, so I decided to do a surgery and that was it.”

Asked how mentally tough he found that, Jesus said: “First day is s*** when you just find out. Then the day after you realise you have to keep going, fighting and smile because I have a life.

“God has given me a life, God let me wake up every morning, so I have to be grateful, I’m blessed.

“I can walk, I can be here, I can smile, so nothing to complain. Just believe in God and keep fighting.”

That belief extends to collective success at Arsenal, who head into the international break with 10 points from their first four matches after beating United on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford’s opener was immediately cancelled out by Martin Odegaard, before Declan Rice and Jesus struck in stoppage time after Alejandro Garnacho saw a goal ruled out for the visitors.

“That’s the Premier League,” the Brazil forward said. “Sometimes the game changes a lot. We conceded, we came back, we had a penalty, didn’t have a penalty.

“In my opinion there were some bad decisions from the referee.

“Even with their (disallowed) goal, maybe it was a foul on me, but it was offside.

“Then, after the game changed again, we scored two and we won the game. That’s it.

“When you play a massive game like this against a tough opponent, it’s always like this.

“We tried to win but they have quality as well – behind, in the middle, up front. That’s the Premier League, that’s why it’s the toughest league in the world.”

Jesus now has a fortnight to recuperate and continue to build fitness, while fellow striker Eddie Nketiah gets his first taste of senior international football.

England Under-21s’ all-time top scorer has been named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the first time having scored twice in the opening weeks of the campaign.

“First of all, competition is always good – for me and for him,” Jesus said. “In all positions when you have competition it’s a good thing.

“From day one, I’m a big fan of Eddie because of the way he works and the way he trains is amazing. It’s not easy to come from the academy at a massive club and fight to play in the first team.

“Congrats to him, he’s doing so well and he deserves to be called into the England national team.

“For me personally, it’s good competition. It’s always good for the club because for sure he’s making me better and I’m making him better as well.”

Arsenal return to action at Everton on September 17, with United back in action the previous day as they look to return to winning ways at home to Brighton.

Manager Erik ten Hag said: “We have to improve, definitely. But you see, and also what we have seen last year, we can beat everyone. It was such small margins today, so it could also have been our side.”