PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan was Arsenal’s biggest menace, pressing furiously, tracking back diligently and unlocking the Paris Saint-Germain defence with crisp passing on Saturday, July 28, the Daily Mail says in an article about Arsenal's 5:1 win over PSG.
Mesut Ozil, like many of Arsenal’s players, faded quite sharply in the second half before the mass changes arrived and he was also outshone by team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the article says.
"The Armenian was Arsenal’s biggest menace, pressing furiously, tracking back diligently and unlocking the PSG defence with crisp passing," it says.
"Both Ozil and Mkhitaryan were then upstaged by Arsenal's young stars, who arrived shortly after the hour with the scores level and proceeded to tear PSG apart by scoring four goals in 23 minutes. For Unai Emery, it may have been a sweet result against his former club but he will know that more substantial tests lie ahead."
In front of a much-improved crowd in excess of 50,000, Arsenal actually started the game rather sloppily, as PSG enjoyed the more concerted periods of possession early on. Arsenal roused themselves before the quarter-hour mark with a short corner routine, which resulted in Ozil curling a cross from the right side. German defender Skhodran Mustafi glanced goalwards but it drifted wide.
Arsenal were soon into their strike and the breakthrough came from a breath-taking counter-attacking goal delivered at high pace and with perfect precision. Mkhitaryan sensed opportunity in central midfield, releasing the jet-heeled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who sped after the ball to the right of the penalty area. The forward controlled well, flashed the ball across the penalty area and Ozil applied the finish.
Arsenal briefly threatened to put the match out of sight. Mkhitaryan pierced the PSG defence once more but in the PSG goal stood the enduring frame of Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon may now be 40 but he remains an intimidating presence in a one-on-one situation. And so it proved here for three Arsenal players in quick succession. Iwobi tried to go under Buffon but a mixture of body and upper leg saw the ball squirm wide.
Young midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, whose performance was excellent in central midfield, clipped a splendid ball over the PSG defence. Aubameyang controlled, turned inside but Buffon stood strong repelled once more. When Mkhitaryan himself burst through, his low strike was stopped by the feet of Buffon.
Ozil (13), Alexandre Lacazette (67, 71), Rob Holding (87) and Eddie Nketiah (90) scored for Arsenal on Saturday.