Girona 1-2 Arsenal: Ethan Nwaneri shines as Gunners ease into Champions League last 16 | OneFootball

One of AC Milan, Feyenoord, Juventus or PSV Eindhoven now lie in wait for Mikel Arteta’s side

Arsenal cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League without any last-gasp drama as they finished an impressive league phase campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Girona.

The Gunners had to fight back from behind in Catalonia after some bizarre goalkeeping from debutant Neto that allowed Arnaut Danjuma to score the opener, but Jorginho’s penalty and a brilliant Ethan Nwaneri strike secured a deserved victory for Mikel Arteta’s side - their sixth out of eight in Europe so far this season.

They ended the inaugural league phase of the revamped Champions League behind Liverpool and Barcelona in third place, with one of AC Milan, Feyenoord, Juventus or PSV Eindhoven awaiting in the last 16 following the conclusion of the two-legged knockout play-off round.

Arsenal - showing seven changes from Saturday’s dramatic 1-0 win at Wolves, with goalkeeper David Raya not fit to be involved - thought they were ahead early at the quaint Estadi Montilivi, where they were cheered on by only 500 away fans, as Sterling played in Riccardo Calafiori to shoot through the legs of Pau Lopez, but Saturday’s Molineux match-winner was denied by the offside flag.

It was a nightmare start from Bournemouth loanee Neto, their oldest debutant for 110 years at 35, who had his first touch charged down as he twice came racing out of his box, misplacing a pass before the third time saw him inexplicably try to save Danjuma’s effort with his hands while diving outside the area.

While he did not make contact and avoided a disastrous sending off, it was nevertheless a bizarre moment for the summer signing as former Tottenham loanee Danjuma fired past him and in against the run of play after being slotted in by Girona captain Juanpe.

Jorginho stopped Danjuma from doubling the lead with a key block as Arsenal wobbled, but they soon got their bearings and levelled from Jorginho’s penalty after Thomas Partey had won the ball from Arnau Martinez on the edge of the box before being promptly brought down by the defender.

Lopez dived the right way but could not keep out Jorginho’s well-struck spot-kick. Arsenal had suddenly found their groove and went in at half-time 2-1 ahead, a second goal in four minutes arriving as Nwaneri cut inside and curled home a superb effort into the far corner on his first Champions League start.

They almost had a third just before the interval, Leandro Trossard attacking down the right flank before thundering a powerful strike against the crossbar.

Girona almost netted a bizarre own goal to begin the second half, with Arsenal - who replaced Partey with Jurrien Timber at half-time - piling on the pressure from set-pieces.

Timber accidentally kept out a glancing header from team-mate Gabriel as Lopez then slapped the ball off the line, with Nwaneri fizzing another eye-catching effort narrowly wide.

Calafiori missed the target with a hopeful attempt from range as an otherwise lively encounter entered something of a lull before Martinez headed wide of the back post from a corner at the other end.

Arteta sent on the likes of Myles Lewis-Skelly - whose controversial red card against Wolves was overturned on Tuesday - and Kai Havertz to pick up the intensity, with Sterling going down in the box under the challenge of Martinez and protesting furiously after being booked for simulation by Italian referee Maurizio Mariani.

Sterling and Nwaneri continued to ask questions of the Girona defence before the LaLiga side thought they had levelled inside the last 15 minutes, the returning Martin Odegaard caught in possession and ex-Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek surging forward before feeding Portu, whose superb back-post cross was finished on the slide by Cristhian Stuani.

However, the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR check to quickly halt the home fans’ passionate celebrations.

Declan Rice was introduced to shore up the Arsenal midfield and Stuani was denied a penalty after a collision with Lewis-Skelly before Neto was called upon to hold a tame header from Martinez.

Arsenal pushed forward to kill the game off in stoppage time, earning a second penalty for a blatant handball by Alejandro Frances. Sterling stepped up with Jorginho having gone off, but Lopez was at full stretch low to his left to push the Chelsea loanee’s effort around the post.