Arsenal have the best squad in the Champions League this season, according to ex-Liverpool star Steve McManaman.
The Gunners underlined their status as serious contenders to win Europe’s elite club competition for the first time when they thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, with Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyokeres (twice) all scoring in the space of just 14 second-half minutes.
It was a devastating blitz from Mikel Arteta’s in-form side, who boast a 100 per cent record in the league phase so far after kicking off this season’s competition with back-to-back 2-0 victories, away against Athletic Club in Bilbao and at home to Olympiacos.
They sit fourth in the overall table on goal difference, level on points with holders Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, with Slavia Prague, Bayern, Club Brugge, Inter and Champions League debutants FC Kairat all remaining on their league phase schedule.
Arsenal have never lost or conceded in a Champions League group/league phase game at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta 😳 pic.twitter.com/kg1yjEbB32
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It has been the perfect start as Arsenal seek to bounce back from last season’s semi-final heartbreak, when they were beaten 3-1 on aggregate by eventual winners PSG.
It also goes hand in hand with a superb opening to their domestic season, with the Gunners currently boasting an early three-point lead at the Premier League summit in addition to progressing into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.
They have still conceded only three goals in 12 total matches across all competitions so far this term, with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland the only player to score against them from open play in last month’s 1-1 draw at the Emirates.
McManaman believes that Arsenal’s summer spending on the likes of Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke has given them the strongest squad in the Champions League across the board, with more quality in depth than their illustrious rivals.
Asked by Laura Woods who had the best squad in the competition this season on TNT Sports, the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and England winger said: “In numbers, I think Arsenal have.
“I think Bayern are excellent, but Barca and Bayern don’t have any depth. I think Real Madrid have depth, but in terms of quality, I would say Arsenal have the better squad.”
