Arsenal are closing in on qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League after a 3-0 win over Monaco at the Emirates Stadium.
Apart from an Aleksandr Golovin strike that flashed inches wide of David Raya's post, Arsenal were on top from the first whistle.
They should have taken the lead before they did, but Gabriel Jesus, who had scored just one goal in the 32 games preceding the match, was denied twice when Radoslaw Majecki was clear on goal.
However, the breakthrough finally came in the 34th minute when Jesus Bukayo brought on Saka after good work from Myles Lewis-Skelly, who made his first Champions League start for the Gunners.
The hosts should have been further ahead before half-time, but captain Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli both fired wide of the far post to keep Monaco in the match.
Just like at the start of the match, Monaco almost caught Arsenal cold at the start of the second half. Thilo Kehrer was eliminated with a free kick from Lamine Camara, but the former West Ham defender headed his header wide of the post.
The visitors should have been level midway through the second period when William Saliba uncharacteristically gifted possession to Takumi Minamino. The former Liverpool player picked out Breel Embolo in the penalty area and after turning Jakub Kiwior inside out, the Swiss striker fired a low shot agonizingly wide.
Arsenal held on, but the match was eventually secured after a gift from goalkeeper Majecki. Under pressure from Odegaard, he passed the ball straight to Saka, who made no mistake for his second goal of the evening.
Substitute Kai Havertz scored late on to add sparkle to what was not an easy evening for the Gunners, but they rise to third in the Champions League standings. A win in their next match at home to Dinamo Zagreb on January 22 would more than likely secure qualification for the last sixteen.
Lewis-Skelly: I'm proud of myself
Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly, speaking to TNT Sports, about his involvement in the first goal:
“I saw that the ball was transferred from Martin [Odegaard] and saw that I was being pressured, so I thought: 'Keep calm and take the ball away from him'. I saw Gabi [Jesus] peel and then Bukayo [Saka] was great timing for the finish, it's always there so I can't complain.
“I am proud of myself, I believe in myself. I've come a long way and I want to thank everyone for giving me this opportunity. Hopefully this is the first of many and I'll move on.
“I look up to Bukayo, he knows everything, so it's the mentality. I learned a lot from him, I want to keep learning from him.”
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