Arsenal took control of their Europa League quarter-final with a commanding display against Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli.
Aaron Ramsey gave them the lead early in the first half when he put the finishing touch to an eye-catching move that included Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Mesut Ozil, Lacazette and Maitland-Niles again.
And when Lucas Torreira’s strike took a wicked deflection off Kalidou Koulibaly to wrong-foot Alex Meret, the Gunners had their visitors by the scruff of their neck.
Arsenal’s performance will have sent a real message to the other seven teams left in the competition that they mean business.
And, wherever he was watching, that first goal will have had former manager Arsene Wenger purring.
1. Ramsey leads by example
Not for the first time this season and not, you suspect, for the last, Arsenal fans will have left the Emirates scratching their heads about Aaron Ramsey’s imminent departure.
The Welshman, who will join Napoli’s Serie A rivals Juventus in the summer, was excellent again and made Unai Emery’s decision to let him leave at the end of the season even more baffling than it already was.
He and the rest of Arsenal’s midfield — including Mesut Ozil, Lucas Torreira and Ainslie Maitland-Niles — left their opposite numbers chasing shadows and Napoli fans won’t fancy coming up against him next season.
League leaders Juve are a hefty 20 points ahead of their second-placed side in the Italian top flight this season and, with the added quality of Ramsey next time out, that gap is likely to be similar in 12 months’ time.
2. Arsenal mean business - on all fronts
This Arsenal performance will have left the other seven teams still in the Europa League under no illusions that they mean business in the competition this season.
But, perhaps just as importantly, it will have fired a warning to the Premier League teams involved in the race for third and fourth that their tails are up for the run-in.
Unai Emery’s men made Napoli look bang average before the break and, even though the visitors responded with a much more positive display in the second half, Arsenal were always in control.
The Gunners have arguably the easiest fixture list of the sides chasing the top flight’s last two Champions League places as well, although the majority of them are away from home.
Arsenal player ratings as Aaron Ramsey leaves fans all asking the same question
3. A rough night for Koulibaly
Kalidou Koulibaly is regularly linked with a move to the Premier League and Manchester United.
But if he does end up at Old Trafford this summer then on this evidence he will have to improve his distribution and fast.
The big Senegalese star looked solid positionally and could be forgiven for the own-goal attributed his way when Lucas Torreira’s shot deflected off him.
All too often, however, he was wayward when he tried to pick a pass out from the back and that put his team under unnecessary pressure.
Man Utd fans react to Kalidou Koulibaly's first half performance vs Arsenal
4. Cech still on course for a final piece of silverware
Petr Cech will have had few quieter nights at such a stage in a major competition with Napoli rarely threatening.
Their best chances fell to Lorenzo Insigne and Piotr Zielinski but, inexplicably, neither forced the Gunners keeper to make a save.
If Arsenal do reach the final in May then Cech will have the chance to sign off on a glittering career with one final piece of silverware.
And few who have enjoyed watching him in England over the years would begrudge him that.
5. A bad night for Ancelotti
Unai Emery boasts an impressive record in the Europa League with three triumphs and only one other manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, has won the tournament the same number of times.
This was the Spaniard’s 76th fixture in the competition and his 46th victory.
Despite such strong pedigree, however, Emery’s European record pales in comparison to Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti’s.
The Italian is one of only three managers, along with Bob Paisley and Zinedine Zidane, to have won the Champions League three times.
And he won the continent’s top cup competition twice as a player, too.
