Mikel Arteta hails ‘courageous’ Arsenal side after Sporting victory

It was back to business as usual for Arsenal on Tuesday evening when they delivered a 5-1 win over Sporting CP in the Champions League.

After a shaky start to the 2024/25 season, the Gunners made up for their unpredictable outings in Europe, defeating a Ruben Amorim-less Sporting side on the same night that rivals Manchester City collapsed to a 3-3 draw to Feyenoord.

Mikel Arteta had urged his side to be ruthless ahead of the clash, pushing them to improve on their performances away from home in the Champions League. Gabriel Martinelli's opener in the seventh minute marked the first time that the north Londoners had scored in an away fixture in the competition this season, while four further goalscorers made for an exciting night in Lisbon.

"I don't think they [Sporting] have lost here in 18 months," he told reporters. "They've been in top form, they've been better than everyone they've played here. To play to that level with the fluidity that we've done today, very pleased.

"The performance was there a few times when we have played big teams. We played Paris Saint-Germain and we were exceptional again. We played Bayern [Munich] and were exceptional. But we made some mistakes and it cost us. That's the level. We have to be able to cope. You have to make it happen. That creates belief. We need that consistency because the ability is there.

"Today [Tuesday] we've been able to do that and replicate it and be more efficient in the opposition half. Very pleased because the team has played with so much courage. They are so good and watching them live I realise how good they are."

Arsenal will return to action on Saturday when they face West Ham United in the Premier League.

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