Arsenal prolonged their lead on the prime of the Premier League after easing to a 2-0 victory at Burnley.
However the victory was marred by an damage to Viktor Gyokeres after the striker had loved his greatest 45 minutes in an Arsenal shirt.
Gyokeres had scored the opener earlier than taking part in an exquisite go to create the Gunners’ second, however was compelled off at half-time with a muscular damage.
However by then, Arsenal had already completed sufficient to assert a ninth successive win.
“At the moment, Arsenal look unbeatable,” former Gunner Paul Merson mentioned on Soccer Saturday. “They defend so effectively. Other than the free-kick that hit the put up with the final kick, Burnley by no means appeared like scoring.
“They are a well oiled machine with a lot of talent in that machine, and that is very unusual. That is not a good cocktail for everyone else.”
The Arsenal machine rolls on…
It was trademark Arsenal they usually unlocked Burnley’s organised defence from a nook, Gyokeres heading house from shut vary for his sixth aim of the season after Gabriel Magalhaes has flicked the ball again into the hazard space from the again put up.
The Gunners weren’t letting Burnley up for air.
Gabriel rose highest to move Kyle Walker’s lengthy throw away and Arsenal produced a scintillating counter to double their benefit. Gyokeres’ sensible cross-field go launched Leandro Trossard down the left. His clipped cross into the field was met by the late arriving Declan Rice, who headed previous Martin Dubravka and into the nook of the online.
Arsenal, who changed Gyokeres on the break with the striker an damage concern, coasted to the tip of the sport.
Probabilities had been sparse at each ends because the Gunners noticed out their victory with ease.
With the final kick of the sport, substitute Marcus Edwards rattled the put up with a shocking free-kick as he got here inches away from ending Arsenal’s run of unpolluted sheets.
Nevertheless it was one other comfy afternoon for Arteta’s males, who’ve now received their final seven video games in all competitions with out conceding. They’re unbeaten in 12 and racked up 9 wins on the spin as they moved seven factors clear on the prime of the desk.
Arteta: Arsenal’s first-half show at Burnley was top-of-the-line
Arteta mentioned his aspect’s first-half show was “one of the best we have played”.
He mentioned: “Very happy because Turf Moor is a really tough place to come. They’ve lost once in 18 months against Liverpool in the last kick of the game by a penalty, so that tells you the difficulty of that.
“We began the sport exceptionally effectively. I believe the primary half is likely one of the greatest that we have performed, scored two targets, generated one other two or three massive probabilities and conceded nothing.
“And that was a platform, because in the second half we dropped the standards, especially with the ball, and with our intentions to play more forward. But again, defensively, we were exceptional.”
‘Arsenal’s high quality shone via’
Declan Rice celebrates after doubling Arsenal’s lead at Burnley
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice:
“They’ve maybe lost once in like 18 months [at home]. We knew it was going to be tough, so we had to stick to our principles.
“Our high quality shone via and we may have scored 4 or 5 within the first half.
“It’s important we keep scoring goals. Two goals are perfect for us.
“For those who have a look at the second aim as an entire, we’re defending an extended throw from our personal half. Massive Gabby wins the ball and I preserve operating with the ball. I used to be like a standard quantity 9!
‘Arsenal look unbeatable’
Sky Sports activities Paul Merson on Soccer Saturday:
“At the moment, Arsenal look unbeatable.
“They defend so effectively. Other than the free-kick that hit the put up with the final kick, Burnley by no means appeared like scoring.
“Everything that comes into the box is cleared. They head everything and they have two defenders that want to defend, and two full backs that want to stop crosses.
“Then there’s Declan Rice. He would not have been far off a ten out of 10 in opposition to Burnley. He simply does not cease all recreation. It was an outstanding efficiency.
Declan Rice heads Arsenal right into a 2-0 lead at Burnley
“My only worry for Arsenal is they looked a completely different side when Viktor Gyokeres was forced off.
“They had been nowhere close to the identical workforce.
“Mikel Merino came on and he knitted the play together well but they never really got up the pitch and threatened in the second half.
“They’re a effectively oiled machine with quite a lot of expertise in that machine, and that’s very uncommon. They’re an environment friendly machine however have a lot expertise.
“That is not a good cocktail for everyone else.”
Story of the match in stats…
Arsenal proceed to impress…
Arsenal have received seven consecutive video games with out conceding in all competitions for simply the second time within the membership’s historical past, beforehand doing so between September and October 1987 (additionally a run of seven).
The Gunners have stored a clear sheet in seven consecutive matches in all competitions for the primary time since doing so between March and April 1999 (additionally a run of seven). Within the membership’s historical past, solely between April and October 1903 have the Gunners stored extra successive shutouts in all competitions (eight in a row).
Arteta’s aspect have received 9 consecutive video games in all competitions, their longest successful run since October 2018 (11 wins in a row below Unai Emery).
