Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with manager Paul Merson issuing a warning to the rest of the competition.
Mikel Arteta scoffed at pre-match predictions as his side crushed Diego Simeone’s men in an enthralling second half at the Emirates in a match that was billed as a battle of defensive, tactical football between two managers who pride themselves on being difficult to beat.
Víctor Goqueres joined from Sporting Lisbon for £58m and scored 97 goals in 102 appearances, taking his tally to five for his new club.
After the strong win, Arteta said he challenged Gokeres to keep defending his goals as the North Londoners return to action in the domestic game against Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Sunday.
And the 27-year-old Gokeres said: “I’m hungrier now. I always want to contribute with my work rate and other things, but when you also score a goal it’s a bit special. So that’s something I always want to do.”
“Our group and our spirit is something different and very special.
“Winning games and performing like this builds confidence in the team. Belief must always be present, but of course this helps boost confidence. We want to keep going like this.”
Message from Arsenal to other European countries
Gokeres was not the only player to receive praise, with Melson praising Bukayo Saka on commentary for Sky Sports, claiming he had made the Atletico star like Koke “toast”.
And the former Gunners star believes his former club have set off a warning for the rest of Europe after achieving what “no one else has ever done”.
“Arsenal and PSG, other teams in Europe, you would look at their results and think ‘wow’.
“Wow, nobody beats Atletico Madrid 4-0. It’s amazing. Alvarez hit the post in the first minutes of the second half. Who knows how it will be in another game, but you can’t take it away from Arsenal.”
“They just went on, and in the end they just steamrolled the team, literally steamrolled the team. I haven’t seen an Atletico Madrid team like that for a long time. They looked lost. They literally looked lost, they looked beaten down.”
Arsenal have won all three games in Europe without conceding a goal. Remarkably, Arteta’s side have conceded just three goals in their first 12 games (away to Liverpool and Newcastle, and at home to Manchester City, with only one goal coming in an exhibition match).
Goalie David Raya, who has a five-game shutout streak, said:
“If we can keep clean sheets it will be easier to win games. It’s really, really important for the whole team not to give too many chances and to be very solid.”
“The depth of the team is incredible. We have a lot of players who can play in two, three or four positions.
“(Mikel) Merino started as a striker (against Atletico), but he can also play as a number six, eight or 10. That’s the manager’s versatility and he uses that to our advantage.”
“It gives us an extra level in training and in games, because if you are not at that level you can lose your position and everyone agrees to that.”
Arsenal go into this weekend’s league match with three points against second-placed Manchester City. Defending champions Liverpool lead by one more point.