Merino Brace Extends Arsenal’s Winning Streak to Ten
Arsenal secured their tenth consecutive victory across all competitions with a commanding 3-0 win over Slavia Prague on Tuesday, 4 November.
The win at Fortuna Arena Stadium in Prague, Czechia, means that the English side are maintaining their flawless UEFA Champions League (UCL) record and equalling a club milestone of eight successive clean sheets, a feat last achieved in 1903.
Gunners striker Bukayo Saka opened the scoring 32 minutes into the match after Lukas Provod’s handball was confirmed by VAR.
Mikel Merino – who was leading the line in place of the injured Viktor Gyokeres – struck twice after the interval, the first just one minute into the second half and the second at the 68th-minute mark, he finished smartly from Leandro Trossard’s cross before heading home a Declan Rice delivery.
Fifteen-year-old Max Dowman made history as the youngest player ever to appear in the UCL at 15 years and 308 days. He impressed manager Mikel Arteta with his fearless cameo.
“That’s personality, that’s courage – and you can’t teach that,” the 43-year-old Spanish football manager said proudly.
Despite injuries to key attackers, Arsenal’s defensive solidity and depth continue to shine. Arteta praised his side’s mentality, adding: “The most pleasing thing is not the record; it’s the mindset of the players: They are talking about how we can still do better.”
With four wins from four in Europe and the best defensive record in the competition, the English Premier League leaders look every inch a side ready to challenge on all fronts.
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