Published: 25 November, 2015
by TOM FOOT at the Emirates Stadium

Champions League
ARSENAL 3, DINAMO ZAGREB 0

ARSENE Wenger insisted his Gunners side has a “big chance” to progress to the Champions League knockout stages after watching a sparkling 3-0 victory over Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates. 

The Arsenal boss said he hoped to “make right what we didn’t do right until now” against Olympiakos in an all-or-nothing final match away in Piraeus on December 9. 

Despite losing three from five matches in the group stages, a win by two goals would guarantee the Gunners a passage into the knockout stages.

Wenger said: “The task has one advantage: it is quite clear. It’s tough but we have to believe we can do it. Tonight we come with a big chance to make right what we didn’t do right until now.”

Alexis Sanchez grabbed a brace in a trademark bustling performance spurred by the majestic Mesut Ozil, who grabbed the opener with a diving header on 29 minutes. The Gunners’ number 10 failed to provide an assist, but his vision and expert ball control helped set up countless chances. Joel Campbell, playing in the front three triangle with Alexis and Olivier Giroud, was also singled-out for special praise by Wenger. 

He said: “I would like to add Campbell, he had an outstanding game. The three [Campbell, Ozil and Sanchez] had outstanding performances tonight.”

Sanchez scored a second four minutes after Ozil after finishing first time from Nacho Monreal’s square pass. The Chilean tapped home in the second half after being picked out by a stunning reverse pass from Campbell. Petr Cech, as ever, made his few saves look simple and prevented any nerves from kicking in. 

With table-toppers Bayern Munich thrashing Olympiakos in Germany, the Gunners have their destiny in their hands. But failing to overturn Olympiakos will lead to Arsenal joining Spurs in the Europa League – an indignity that Gunners fans will desperately want to avoid.

Wenger revealed after the match that key midfield anchorman Francis Coquelin will be out for the next 12 weeks – longer than the previously stated two months – although he will not need surgery. 

It means Wenger has a tough choice about who to play in the holding midfield role over the winter, and his trial in the last 10 minutes with defender Calum Chambers did not look to be an adequate solution. 

There was however a welcome return for Aaron Ramsey after injury, and Wenger said that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would also be certain to return to the fray against Norwich in the Premier League on Sunday. 

“Walcott, too, has a chance,” Wenger added.

Speaking of his decision to keep a noticeably fading Alexis on for the full match, Wenger quipped: “A break makes him [Alexis] tired. I would have loved to do it [take him off], but I had to take off Hector [Bellerin] because he has a groin problem. We put Alexis up front so he doesn’t have to go up and down the flank.”

In a positive mood, Wenger was asked about whether Ozil and Sanchez’s superb performances had made him think differently about spending big money on players. 

He said: “If you come out with me one night you will see I like to spend money. It’s you, the press, that gives me that reputation, but my friends don’t think that.”

ARSENAL: Cech, Bellerin (Debuchy, 82), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Cazorla (Chambers, 82), Sanchez, Ozil, Campbell, Giroud (Ramsey, 67).
Substitutes not used: Ospina, Gabriel, Reine Adelaide, Gibbs.
Att: 58,978