They like to talk about invincibility in this part of north London and it remains the only way to describe Mikel Arteta’s record with Arsenal in European group‑phase games at the Emirates Stadium. It is now eight wins out of eight in the Champions League with zero goals conceded. And if you add in the Europa League from earlier in his tenure, it is 14 victories out of 14 with two goals against.
Olympiakos pitched up with a remarkable statistic of their own. They had won on their past three visits to this ground, the most recent two coming in the knockout rounds of the Europa League, even if the second in 2020-21 did not prevent an aggregate defeat. The first was in a Champions League group‑stage match in 2015-16.
Nobody expected anything other than another Arsenal success, the latest demonstration of the power and depth that Arteta has at his disposal despite this being a decent Olympiakos vintage. It was nervier than the home crowd would have liked in the closing stages, the visitors pushing and making for a couple of scares.
This Arsenal team is not easily breached. We are into October and still they have let in only three goals in all competitions – one of them from open play. Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 12th minute and although Olympiakos had their moments they could not find a way past David Raya.
