Arsenal sealed qualification for the knockout stage of the Europa League as group winners after a topsy-turvy 2-2 draw with Standard Liege in Belgium.
The Gunners needed to avoid defeat by a five-goal margin to be sure of qualifying, and even when the hosts went 2-0 up through deflected second-half strikes that outcome never looked likely, but with Eintracht Frankfurt winning against Vitoria, Freddie Ljungberg’s side looked set to surrender top spot.
However, late goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka saw Arsenal fight back to earn a point, while an even later turnaround in Frankfurt means the north London side go through as group winners, thus avoiding a potential tie against the likes of Ajax or Inter Milan, who drop out of the Champions League.
Ljungberg made nine changes to the side for his first European game in charge, with only Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sokratis surviving from the win over West Ham.
Arsenal had the better of a drab first half, as a poor pitch killed much of both side’s rhythm, but it was the home side that went ahead almost immediately after the break when Samuel Bastien’s effort deflected off Sokratis, wrongfooting Emi Martinez and finding the net.
Selim Amallah doubled the lead after Joe Willock had lost possession in his own penalty area, finding the far corner via the hand of Dinos Mavropanos, and for a moment Gunners fans may have been fearing the 5-0 was on.
However, Saka eased those nerves by delivering a wonderful cross for Lacazette to head home a halve the deficit, before playing a delightful one-two with the impressive Emile Smith-Rowe, curling into the far corner to earn a share of the points.
