Arsenal 3-0 Monaco: Mikel Arteta’s side move up to THIRD in the Champions League table after goals from Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz

Who needs set pieces when your opposition defend like this?

Arsenal took a major step towards qualification for the Champions League knock out rounds here with a vital win over Monaco.

But they were gifted this victory by the Ligue 1 side. Much has been made of Arsenal’s reliance on set-pieces in recent weeks.

They didn’t need to dip into their dead ball arsenal here thanks to Monaco’s amateur rearguard. This was far from convincing from the Gunners, one of those nights when huffing and puffing overtakes technical quality.

Mikel Arteta would argue his team created enough chances during a 20 minute hot spell in the first half to have had this sewn up before half-time. He’s probably right.

Indeed, there’s a lot to be said for getting the job done. Arsenal did that here without setting the winter air on fire.

The first half was a slow burner. Arsenal meandered out of the blocks, two half chances for Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli all they really had to show for their opening 20 minutes.

If anything, Monaco looked most comfortable during those rather mundane opening exchanges, the French side popping the ball about crisply and with confidence.

Aleksandr Golovin fired narrowly wide with a fierce effort from the edge of the box as they tried to capitalise on their encouraging start.

Monaco were clearly pinpointing teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly – who was making his first Champions League start – as the weak link.

Arsenal’s defensive options have been ravaged by injury in recent weeks; only William Saliba recognisable from Mikel Arteta’s full strength back-four here last night opening the door to the highly rated 18-year-to take the latest step along his career journey.

Credit to the youngster, he looked utterly unfazed by it all.

Not only that, he played a pivotal role in Arsenal taking a 34th minute lead. Collecting a pass from Martin Odegaard, the academy graduate skilfully escaped the attentions of Maghnes Akilouche before arrowing an incisive pass that cut through Monaco’s defence like a machete.

All that was left was for Gabriel Jesus to play a square pass into the path of Bukayo Saka, who tapped home for his eight of the season.

Myles-Skelly’s team-mates certainly appreciated their fledging colleague’s contribution as they celebrated taking the lead.

But it was Saka who took the bulk of the acclaim. What a season he is having. What a player he is.

By the time referee Davide Massa blew up for half time, it is no exaggeration to say Arsenal should have been 4-0 up.

Even prior to Saka’s opener Jesus missed two glorious opportunities to open the scoring.

Odegaard and Martinelli were just as wasteful towards the end of the half. Their stuttering start a distant memory as Massa signalled for half-time, Monaco’s early swagger had transitioned into a limp.

The concern for Arteta, of course, was whether they’d be left to rue those missed chances.

Those fears flashed right before Arteta’s eyes just two minutes into the second period when Thilo Kehrer flashed a fit header from Lamine Camara’s free kick narrowly wide.

Indeed there was an anxiety to Arsenal’s second half opening. The natives felt it, too. 

Monaco’s swagger had returned, for Arsenal – in contrast – it was all hands to the pump.

This is the time of year English football’s relentless schedule starts to catch up with footballers.

There was certainly a weariness to Arsenal’s start to the second half.

Arteta sensed the deficiencies and made a triple substitution – bringing on Leandro Trossard, Jurrien Timber and Jorginho.

The trio of changes brought the curtain down on Lewis-Skelly’s big night. It’s clear why big things are expected of the youngster.

Yet, Monaco kept pressuring and Bree Embolo wasted a golden opportunity in the 65th minute as he fired into the side netting following an characteristic William Saliba mistake.

This was Monaco’s golden moment. At least it should have been.

Saliba puffed out a huge sigh of relief. He wasn’t the only one.

The unease that’d overcome the Emirates Stadium should have eased two minutes later when Odegaard fired straight at Radoslaw Majecki after Trossard’s pass.

That really should have been game set and match for the Gunners. Eventually it, in the 78th minute, its was.

Saka, inevitably, was the hero as the England star capitalised on an inexplicable mix-up between Mohammed Salisu and Majecki to fire into an empty net.

Monaco’s comic defending didn’t relent as Arsenal’s notched a third, after Salisu completely missed a header before Keher, under pressure from Kai Havertz, prodded into his own net.