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Arsenal reclaimed top spot in Group B in the Champions League last night, after Mikel Arteta’s side were victorious over Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on their third outing of the 2023/24 tournament.
The Gunners were tested throughout the contest by the Spanish outfit, however it took two moments of quality for the north Londoners to undo the hosts' hard work and claim the vital win.
After losing against RC Lens in their previous game in the group stage, a win on Tuesday evening took Arsenal back to the top of the group, thanks to the outcome of the duel between Lens and PSV, which ended 1-1 in France.
How did Arsenal play against Sevilla?
It was far from Arsenal’s prettiest performance, as they were constantly asked questions by Diego Alonso’s side, as highlighted by the hosts dominating 56% of possession.
While it wasn’t an elegant showing by Arteta’s squad, it was decisive, as the Gunners made what they could from their depleted levels of possession, recording 2.04 expected goals (xG) to Sevilla’s 0.78, via Sofascore.
It took seconds before the halftime whistle for Gabriel Martinelli to open the scoring on his Champions League debut, with the chance entirely sourced from the brilliance of Gabriel Jesus, who claimed the assist in style.
The former Manchester City whiz then claimed his third goal in three appearances in the competition this season in the 53rd minute, although his individual excellence was quickly muted by Nemanja Gudelj’s header that narrowed the deficit.The away side weathered the storm that the hosts broke with wave after wave of attack, earning the victory thanks to the expertise of Jesus, who was dubbed “world-class” during the fixture by journalist Charles Watts.
With a goal, an assist and a pass completion rate of 92%, Arsenal’s number nine was awarded the highest Sofascore match rating with 8.5, however he wasn’t the only figure that stood out for the visitors.
How did Declan Rice play against Sevilla?
Lauded as “sensational” by journalist Matt Scott for his efforts, Declan Rice registered another impressive display for the Gunners on Wednesday night.
The midfielder controlled the tempo in a high-intensity midfield for 90 minutes in Seville, proving minute by minute just why Arteta was insistent on spending £105m to capture his signature in the summer.
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As usual, the combative and controlled presence of Rice assisted Arsenal in keeping a grip on the game when the hosts challenged, highlighted by him winning 100% of his aerial duels and recording two tackles and one interception, via Sofascore.
While that element of his game is expected, the Englishman showcased his ability to roam into more advanced areas, registering three key passes and claiming an assist for Jesus’ superb goal that prevailed to be the match-winner.
Declan Rice vs Sevilla
Touches
62
Key Passes
3
Successful dribbles
3/4
Aerial duels won
3/3
Tackles
2
Ground duels won
5/10
Via SofascoreTNT Sports commentator Lucy Ward said during the game that Sevilla “physically could not compete” with the presence of Rice, as the 24-year-old kept things tidy at a time of need in Arteta’s midfield.
A win was essential for the Gunners in the Champions League, and Arsenal got the task done thanks to the brilliance of both Jesus and their £105m hero
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