Sporting shock Arsenal after Gonçalves wonder strike sets up shootout win

This time the late drama did not go Arsenal’s way. They were below par for much of this match and were ultimately knocked out of the Europa League on penalties, Nuno Santos ramming in Sporting’s winner to prompt ecstatic celebrations after Gabriel Martinelli had seen the previous spot kick saved. Pedro Gonçalves had earlier equalised Granit Xhaka’s opener with a remarkable 50-yard strike; the Portuguese side earned their route to the last eight and Mikel Arteta’s players will, by way of consolation, feel free to focus on their title push.

Much of the talk in advance had been of Arteta’s rebranding of substitutes as “impacters”. There was certainly plenty in reserve here if he wished to use it but the starting lineup was, as ever, not too far off full fat. Even if Bukayo Saka was given a rare rest there was the sight of Gabriel Jesus, eased back in at Fulham on Sunday, being returned to the XI; Martinelli, Xhaka and four of the preferred back five were also deployed, Ben White the only regular defender stood down.

White was called upon to make an impact sooner than he would have expected. His deputy, the luckless Takehiro Tomiyasu, was outdone by a sumptuous turn from Francisco Trincão in the sixth minute and went down shortly afterwards. The cause was injury rather than shame: the right-back appeared to have overstretched in the process of being outwitted and his night was over as soon as it had begun.

Arteta had wanted a tighter, more cohesive performance than the loose showing that deserved no more than the 2-2 draw garnered in Lisbon. It did not materialise straightaway and Sporting were the brighter, more threatening side early on. Trincão, having switched across from the left flank, cut inside and bent a shot