Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb: Gunners poised to qualify for Champions League knockout stage after comfortable win

Plenty has been made of Arsenal’s apparent need to sign a new striker in recent days. Supporter sentiments are summed up succinctly by a new mural en route to the Emirates Stadium that depicts co-chairman Josh Kroenke with the tagline: ‘Time to splash some cash, Josh.’

Yet Kai Havertz, the man Mikel Arteta entrusted to lead the line for his team this season, notched his 14th of the season here last night. That’s some going. Indeed, there are those at Arsenal who will argue the club’s requirement for a new centre-forward isn’t as pressing as the naysayers will have you believe.

To that end, Havertz’s numbers make for compelling reading.

Here at the Emirates, the Germany international notched Arsenal’s second in a crucial 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb which virtually secured their automatic passage into the Champions League knockout rounds.

Arsenal are on course to receive a bye into the Champions League last 16 after a comfortable win over Dinamo Zagreb.

Victory at the Emirates Stadium puts Arsenal on 16 points with a game to spare and that should be enough to avoid a play-off and two extra games next month.

With this being a hectic period for the Gunners in terms of the fixture list and an ever-growing injury list, manager Mikel Arteta opted to freshen things up by making four changes to the side that started the draw with Aston Villa at the weekend.

Though his hand was forced somewhat with Myles Lewis-Skelly ruled out completely. That meant a start for Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back with Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho and Raheem Sterling all drafted in too.

The change in midfield allowed Declan Rice to push further up and the decision paid off within two minutes as the England international gave Arsenal a dream start.

Picking up the ball inside the area following Kai Havertz’s lay off, Rice finished with aplomb to score his first ever Champions League goal and the Gunners’ quickest in the competition since November 2014.

From there the hosts ought to have increased their lead but Gabriel Magalhaes headed a glorious chance wide, whilst Zinchenko, Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli had efforts blocked.

Zagreb carried a threat in attack, particularly through Martin Baturina, and grew in confidence as the half wore on as sloppiness creeped into Arsenal’s game.

The second half began similarly, but the visitors lacked a cutting edge and when Havertz headed home a fantastic cross from Martinelli just after the hour mark, it felt like the Gunners had wrapped up all three points.