Arsenal run riot to crush Atletico Madrid

LONDON :Arsenal thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 thanks to a devastating second-half broadside at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday to secure a third successive Champions League victory.

What had been a compelling contest with little between the sides became an Arsenal rout with goals by Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and a brace from Viktor Gyokeres leaving Diego Simeone's side shell-shocked.

Shortly after Julian Alvarez hit the crossbar for the visitors, Arsenal defender Gabriel broke the deadlock by heading in a Declan Rice free kick in the 57th minute.

Martinelli finished off a sweeping move seven minutes later and Gyokeres prodded in his first goal of the night via a deflection as Arsenal ran riot, the Swede ending a nine-game scoring drought for club and country.

Gyokeres bundled in his second as Atletico were again unable to deal with a set piece.

Victory extended Arsenal's unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions and put them on nine points in the group phase, after three wins without conceding a goal, well on the way to qualifying for the knockout stages.

Atletico, on three points, will have to dust themselves down after their six-game unbeaten run in all competitions came to a juddering halt.

"It was a tough match. After the goal they opened up a bit and it was a little easier for us to find the spaces. Very happy with the result," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said.

"At this level in the Champions League you really need to step up and we certainly did that in every phase of the play."

Simeone, who also tasted defeat in Liverpool last month, said his side had been punished for individual errors.

"It's not down to bad luck, it's down to mistakes," the Argentine told reporters. "They made the most of our mistakes and all their