Arsenal 3-0 Monaco: Saka the star again for UCL table climbers

Bukayo Saka scored twice and assisted Kai Havertz as Arsenal finally found the score line their performance deserved in a 3-0 win over Monaco at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

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The win goes a long way toward securing a top-eight spot for the Gunners, who out-attempted their Ligue 1 visitors 16-7 to secure another UEFA Champions League win.

Arsenal have surged to third on the UEFA Champions League table with 13 points, above five other teams on goal differential. The top eight teams from the league phase qualify directly for the knockout rounds.

The Gunners host Dinamo Zagreb on January 22, then go to Girona on January 29.

Monaco sit 15th with 10 points. They host Aston Villa on January 21, then visit Inter Milan on January 29.

Arsenal vs Monaco player ratings

(from fotmob.com)

Arsenal vs Monaco player ratings (from fotmob.com)

How to watch Arsenal vs Monaco live, stream link and start time

Kick off time: 3pm ET Wednesday (December 11)Venue: Emirates Stadium — London, EnglandHow to watch: Stream on Paramount+ and TUDN USA

Arsenal vs Monaco final score: 3-0

Bukayo Saka 34', 78'; Kai Havertz 88'

Arsenal vs Monaco live updates — By Nick Mendola

Kai Havertz goal! Arsenal 3-0 Monaco (88th minute)

Leandro Trossard cues up a chance for Mikel Merino which is blocked but Bukayo Saka picks it up and slams it toward goal.

Havertz gets a piece of it to make it 3-0, but VAR will have a look.... it’s a goal!

Saka again! Arsenal 2-0 Monaco (78th minute)

Big error from former Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu, and Saka reaps the rewards!

Big Gunners let-off

Breel Embolo takes advantage of an Arsenal giveaway.

He turns and fires from the back post but drills his shot just wide of it.

Arsenal subs

Jurrien Timber, Jorginho, and Leandro Trossard come on for Lewis-Skelly, Rice, and Gabriel Martinelli.

Halftime — Arsenal 1-0 Monaco

Barely a sniff for Monaco.

Gunners have 57% of the ball and eight attempts, four of which have been on target.

Bukayo Saka goal! Arsenal 1-0 Monaco (34th minute)

Really good team goal here.

Martin Odegaard and Myles Lewis-Skelly — what an entry pass — start the move, and it’s Gabriel Jesus a fires a cross to the back post.

Saka, of course, is there to slot it home.

Kiwior giveaway leads to chance

It’s a half-chance but Monaco nearly make the most of it.

Jakub Kiwior wins a ball in his box but quickly loses it, too

Aleksandr Golovin tries his luck from just outside the 18, but misses wide of the near post.

0-0, 9'

Arsenal lineup

Raya, Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus

Monaco lineup

Majecki, Vanderson, Kehrer, Salisu, Henrique, Magassa, Camara, Golovin, Akliouche, Ben Seghir, Embolo

Arsenal vs Monaco preview — By Joe Prince-Wright

Mikel Arteta’s side took seven points from a possible nine in their last three Premier League games and also battered Sporting Lisbon 5-1 away from home last time out in the Champions League. Arsenal have dominated opponents on set pieces and their last three Premier League goals have all come from those situations. But they’ve looked a little sluggish in open play in recent games and Arteta is hoping injuries calm down as defensively he is back to limited options. The Gunners sit in seventh place in the Champions League table, level on 10 points with their opponents Monaco.

As for Monaco, the Ligue 1 side have been a breath of fresh in Europe this season. They beat Barcelona at home to kick off their campaign and took care of some winnable games before blowing a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 at home to Benfica last time out. Still, they sit third in the Ligue 1 table, have a host of talented youngsters and look set to push all the way for a spot in the top eight of the Champions League.

Arsenal team news, focus

A back four of Timber, Saliba, Kiwior and Partey is set to be rolled out again but Tierney could come in at left back with Timber moving to right back. Up front the duo of Martinelli and Jesus could start to freshen things up, but it’s likely Arteta will go with Havertz up top, Saka on the right and then flip a coin between Trossard and Martinelli on the left. Rice, Merino and Odegaard should start in central midfield but perhaps this is the game to start teenage sensation Ethan Nwaneri? He can certainly bring the creativity Arsenal have been missing from open play.

OUT: Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Ben White (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Gabriel Magalhaes (knock), Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko (muscle)

Monaco team news, focus

Denis Zakaria, Edan Diop and Soungoutou Magassa are missing for this game, while there are plenty of familiar players to keep an eye. Arsenal academy product and USMNT striker Folarin Balogun would usually be top of that list but he’s suffered a setback in his return from a shoulder injury and wasn’t in the squad for Monaco’s win against Toulouse last weekend. Swiss international Breel Embolo is always a threat on the counter, while Takumi Minamino and Aleksandr Golovin have plenty of creativity and experience in attack.

Arsenal vs Monaco prediction

This will probably be closer than most people expect but Arsenal will get the win, probably from a set piece goal, to cement their spot in the top eight. Arsenal 2-1 Monaco.