Three things we learned from Arsenal win as Gunners make light of injury crisis and set another record | OneFootball

North Londoners have won every game they have played in Europe this term

No Viktor Gyokeres, no problem - not when Arsenal can call upon Mikel Merino.

Arsenal’s defence was once again outstanding as they kept a clean sheet for the eighth game in a row.

Mikel Arteta’s side have now won 10 games in a row in all competitions and currently sit top of the Champions League table.

Merino rises to the occasion

When Merino signed for Arsenal last year, he arrived with a reputation of being a ‘duel monster’.

The belief was that the Spaniard would add even more steel to Arsenal’s midfield, both in the air and on the deck.

Well, it may be that Gunners fans need to come up with a new nickname - because Merino is continuing to show there is far more to his game than that.

Just like at the back end of last season, he was tasked with playing as a striker due to Gyokeres being out injured.

Merino scored seven goals for Arsenal last season when deployed as an emergency No9 and he notched another two against Slavia Prague.

His first was a lovely goal, and certainly more one that you would associate with a ‘goal machine’ as opposed to a ‘duel monster’.

Leandro Trossard swung in a cross from the left and Merino was on hand to deftly flick the ball home for his 18th goal for club and country in 2025.

Just 22 minutes later, he had his 19th after heading home Rice’s lofted ball in the box.

Injury crisis, what injury crisis?

After spending £250million on eight new signings this summer, Arsenal must have thought the days of Merino leading the line for them were in the past.

But the Spaniard was asked to do so again in Prague, as the Gunners were without all three of their recognised strikers.

Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Gyokeres are currently out injured, with Gabriel Martinelli, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke joining them on the sidelines.

Martin Zubimendi also missed this game due to suspension, meaning Arsenal were without eight first-team players.

Much has been made of the Gunners' new squad depth this season, but these injuries really tested it.

Charles Sagoe Jr, who spent the first half of last season on loan at League Two side Shrewsbury Town, was even among the substitutes.

In the end, it did not impact the visitors and they won to maintain their perfect start to this season’s Champions League.

Dowman and the defence make history

It is hard to know what was more inevitable: Max Dowman becoming the youngest player in Champions League history or Arsenal keeping another clean sheet.

Arsenal’s defence has been immense this season and they were at it again in Prague, with the hosts only able to muster a single shot on target.

The only real scare came towards the end of the second half, when Ben White thought he had given away a penalty - but VAR rightly overturned it.

Arsenal have now kept eight clean sheets in a row, equalling a club record that was set all the way back in 1903.

It is a remarkable achievement, and the same goes for Dowman making his Champions League bow at the age of 15 and 308 days.

He is the youngest player in the history of the competition and was greeted to the big stage by Slavia’s defenders hacking him down on more than one occasion.

Given his talent, Dowman may have to get used to that.