By Irishexaminer.com,Nick Callow, Emirates Stadium

Copyright irishexaminer

This one-sided victory here means they are unbeaten in 13 home group/league stage matches of the Champions League in the ten years since a 2015 victory by Olympiacos, a team they traditionally lose to in London.

Gabriel Martinelli’s second goal in as many European games this season and a late Bukayo Saka strike means Arteta just has to maintain this level for half a dozen matches at most to get through to the business end of the Europe’s elite competition once again.

They spent an age not even qualifying for it before he took the reins in 2020 and got them up to the required level in a few seasons. The Basque coach’s Champions League record to date is a quarter-final and semi-final. Does that mean runners-up this season and European Champions the following season in 2027?

After three successive seasons as Premier League runners-up, probably not, but it shows the direction of travel the club is heading in under their meticulous manager.

The frustrating element is that Arsenal should have won this by so many more goals. The result, however, was what mattered more than the goal tally against the champions of Greece and 2024 Europa Conference League winners.

The visitors pressed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages to try and maintain their winning run here. In the end, the best team won, just not as convincingly as their players, supporters or manager would have liked.

In a much-changed side from the one that won at Newcastle United at the weekend, Martinelli, recalled to the starting line-up after his recent impressive goalscoring displays as a substitute, headed wide from a brilliant Myles Lewis-Skelly cross inside the opening two minutes. A horrible miss.

The Brazil forward made amends by scoring from an even easier chance ten minutes later. Viktor Gyokeres did all the hard work, holding off two challenges to force a shot past keeper Kostas Tzolakis on to a post. Martinelli simply followed it up to tap in the rebound.

Arsenal were irresistible, almost unplayable with Martin Odegaard starting for the first time in a while running the show. It seemed just a question of how many they would score. Then, out of nowhere, a cross flew into the Arsenal penalty area and former Wolves man Daniel Podence struck a sweet first-time volley, which was spectacularly saved by David Raya.

Back on the attack Gyokeres was getting increasingly frustrated as he went into half-time without scoring his first Champions League goal in an Arsenal shirt. Everything but. He has worked out the timing of his runs with his team-mates, now he needs to add the finishing he is renowned for The Swede was relatively anonymous in the second half as Arsenal struggled to create the same level of chances for their striker.

There were good opportunities squandered by other players, such as Leandro Trossard and a brilliant save to deny Odegaard, but a lack of urgency seeped in as the excesses of Sunday night’s late win away to Newcastle United seemed to take a toll.

Olympiacos even thought they had scored an equaliser, but the offside flag was up before the ball hit the back of the net Being able to respond by sending on England forward duo Saka and Ebere Eze for the final 20 minutes was a sign of Arteta’s attacking options this season.

The sight of Gabriel limping off soon after would be a concern, but Christhian Mosquera was an able replacement on the night and will also be for Saturday’s visit of West Ham if required.

Odegaard never let up, however, and played a neat one-two with Saka to assist his injury-time second goal for Arsenal. No more than they deserved but so late in the day to be comfortable. Keeper Tzolakis had a great game but this time he seemed at fault as Arsenal =celebrated with joy and relief in equal measure.

Arsenal: Raya 7, White 6 (Timber 58), Saliba 6, Gabriel 7 (Mosquera 75) Lewis-Skelly 7, Zubimendi 7, Merino 6 (Rice 58), Odegaard 8, Trossard 6 (Saka 73), Martinelli 7 (Eze 73), Gyokeres 6.

Olympiacos: Tzolakis 6, Ortega 6, Pirola 6, El Kaabi 6, Gelson Martins 5 (Taremi 62), Dani Garcia 6 (Sciponi 75), Costinha 6, Chiquinho 6, Hezze 6, Restos 6, Podence 6.

Referee: Francois Letexier 4