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Arsenal were in the mood as they pounded RC Lens 6-0, breaking several Champions League records on the night they secured their place in the knockout stage as Group B winners.
The Gunners needed at least a draw to confirm their place in the Champions League round of 16. However, they did it in style, putting six goals past the French side, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, and Jorginho all on the score sheet.
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23:18 - 29.11.2023
Arsenal 6-0 RC Lens: Ruthless Gunners avenge first-leg defeat with thrashing
Arsenal sent a strong message to their Premier League rivals by thrashing French side RC Lens in the UCL group stage tie
A night of multiple records for Arsenal
Arsenal were 4-0 up by the 27th minute, as they put any hope of another Lens upset to bed early.
Arsenal's four goals in the first 27 minutes of play are the fastest four goals an English team has ever scored in a Champions League match. This record is shared by Manchester United, who scored four goals in the same amount of time against Brondby in November 1998, the year they won the competition for the second time.
Martin Odegaard added a fifth on the stroke of halftime with a sweet first-time volley from 12 yards, making the Gunners the first English club in Champions League history to lead a game by five or more goals by the end of the first half.
Furthermore, Odegaard’s goal meant that the Gunners became the only team from any country in Europe to have as many as five different scorers in the first half of a Champions League match (excluding own goals).
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After the break, Arsenal kept up their dominance, but they had to wait until the 86th minute to add a sixth goal. That came from a well-executed penalty kick by substitute Jorginho, who scored after VAR determined that Abdukodir Khusanov had handled inside the area.
Arsenal’s 6-0 win also became the biggest victory by any English club against a French opponent in European competition.
What next for the Gunners?
Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League with 30 points after 13 games and will look to remain in first place when Wolves visit on Saturday.
With top spot also secured in Champions League Group B, the Spaniard can also afford some major changes in their last group game away at PSV, giving rest to some of their important players.
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