Arsenal will hope their performance against Bayer Leverkusen quietens some of the recent debate around their playing style. The goals were brilliantly taken and there were plenty more examples of slick attacking play. At their best, as they were here, this side excel in all departments.
Their display also underlined the defensive strength underpinning their charge for silverware on four fronts. Amazingly, this was Arsenal’s 25th clean sheet of the season in all competitions. It is an astonishing record from 49 games played.
Centre-backs and Gabriel and William Saliba provided the foundations. Leverkusen’s young striker Christian Kofane had caused them problems in the first leg but they dominated the second, winning all but two of their 14 combined duels.
They were not alone in excelling defensively. Mikel Arteta described Declan Rice as “immense”. There was a similarly impressive display from Piero Hincapie against his parent club. But Arsenal’s strength, particularly out of possession, lies in the collective.
The clean sheets will continue to stack up.
