Arsenal 3 Dinamo Zagreb 0 – Nwaneri makes a welcome return as Arteta’s side edge towards the knockouts

On January 23, 2025By Littum

Arsenal got the job done against Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates on Wednesday as a 3-0 win put them in a very strong position to secure safe passage to the last 16 of the Champions League.

The perfect start came when Declan Rice slammed home after good work from Gabreil Martinelli on the left and Kai Havertz. It was the midfielder’s first goal of the competition and Arsenal’s earliest since 2014. In the second half, Havertz again scored a header after good work from Martinelli, before Martin Odegaard completed the win.

Arteta opted to start Jakub Kiwior in defense with Oleksandr Zinchenko, while 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri returned to play the final half-hour.

Jordan Campbell breaks down the talking points from the Emirates.

Why is it so important to avoid playoffs?

Ahead of their penultimate league stage match, Opta gave Arsenal a 97.7 percent chance of automatically qualifying for the last 16. After their win over Zagreb, that number is as close to 100 percent as it gets. They are still not automatically guaranteed to finish in the top eight, but sitting third with 16 points from a possible 21, they are almost guaranteed safe passage.

This is because they are not only three points ahead of the five teams three points behind, they have a far superior goal difference compared to Aston Villa, Monaco, Lille, Brest and Feyenoord.

(JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

It is significant that Arsenal appear to have avoided the play-off round as two extra games when they have endured a difficult time with injuries would place further demands on the players.

The first leg also falls on February 11 or 12, which comes during the week off Arsenal have in their calendar due to their FA Cup third round elimination to Manchester United.

That week has been earmarked as a potential window for Arsenal to have a week-long camp abroad similar to last season’s Dubai that helped the team reset after a difficult run.

How did the new defense come about?

Seven games in and still no open plays conceded for Arsenal. Only Inter and Sporting CP have managed to break David Raya’s goal, but they came from a penalty and a corner.

Arsenal have the lowest xG from open play in the tournament this term at under three goals and, despite a depleted back four, never looked like they were under serious threat from Zagreb.

Jurrien Timber replaced Thomas Partey at right-back after filling in for the injured William Saliba against Aston Villa, allowing Jakub Kiwior to come in alongside Gabriel. It’s not an ideal solution as he is a left-footed player who plays at right centre-back, which Arteta spoke about on Monday, but he did well for a moment when he lost possession and had to be saved.

(Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

At left back, however, there was a more forced change. Myles Lewis-Skelly picked up a problem in training on Tuesday which meant he missed out, while Riccardo Calafiori was also unable to complete the session as he works his way back from injury.

It meant Oleksandr Zinchenko got his first start since the 2-0 win over Manchester United on 4 December. The Ukrainian has fallen down the pecking order, but in games where Arsenal dominate possession, he helps streamline Arsenal’s play with his creativity.

But on the defensive side of things, it was another clean sheet, which means Arsenal have stayed the most in the competition over their last eight matchdays.

How did Nwaneri do?

It appears that Ethan Nwaneri may have similar healing powers to Bukayo Saka. The 17-year-old missed the last four games in all competitions after coming off injured in the 1-1 draw with Brighton.

It was a muscle injury and was expected to keep him out for several weeks, but his substitute appearance against Zagreb is welcome for a team lacking options in the attacking area.

He received a great reception from the Emirates when he came on in the 58th minute and 10 minutes later he showed why he is such an exciting player to have back when he skipped past his opponent to reach the touchline.

The fans sang “He’s one of our own” to show how happy they were to have another Hale End product back on the wing with Saka still injured. He showed no signs of needing time to get back up to speed and in the 89th minute sprinted to cover his defenders and block a cross that was celebrated as a goal.

There was also a debut for 22-year-old Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, who came on in the last minutes of the match.

Can Arsenal find that attacking threat?

Arsenal passed the 500-goal mark under Arteta and won a third consecutive European Cup/Champions League match with three or more goals for the first time.
More important than these exploits, however, may have been the confidence they managed to get back into their attacking players.

Havertz scored for the second straight game after enduring a tough week in the cup playoffs, Rice got his first goal in eight games and Odegaard got his first in 14.

It was a reminder that Arsenal have attacking threats in the team, they just need to be more clinical. Martinelli played a part in the first goal with his cut back and crossed for the second goal, while Leandro Trossard also had an assist.

Arteta has based this team on sharing the amount of goalscoring and this was a prime example that when the players fire it can come true.

What did Mikel Arteta say?

We’ll bring you this after he speaks at the post-match press conference.

What next for Arsenal?

Saturday 25 January: Wolves (A), Premier League, at 15:00 GMT, at 10 a.m. ET

When do the knockouts start?

The draw for the play-offs will be held on 31 January at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

The knockout play-offs begin on February 11 and 12, with the other matches on February 18 and 19. From the playoffs onwards, the tournament is a bracket, ending with the final at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on May 31.

The full knockout dates are:
Play-offs in the knockout phase: 11, 12 February and 18 February 19
16th round: 4, 5 March and 11, 12 March
Quarter Finals: 8, 9 and 15, 16 April
Semifinals: 29, 30 April and 6, 7 May
Final: 31 May