Arsenal cut loose during euphoric second half to flay shell-shocked Atletico

Lights, camera, action : Picture by @YTJourno

Champions League Group Stage - MD3

Arsenal (0) 4 Gabriel 57, Martinelli 64, Gyokeres 67, 70

Atletico Madrid (0) 0

There may not be quite the same levels of jeopardy as in the old Champions League group stages, but Arsenal fans had plenty to savour on a night of uncomplicated joy.

These early stage games almost offer a breather after the urgent necessity of winning each game on the domestic front and the Gunners were only too happy to soak it up. Certainly there was a relaxed air about it all once Mikel Arteta's men had broken the deadlock following a goalless first half.

With three wins out of three after a four-goal bonanza following the interval it leaves them well placed to challenge for the top eight places in this expanded format - which would usher them past the eliminator knock-out round in the new year.

The competition may change but the same domestic habit prevails. A game where Arsenal struggled to find the net in open play got the nudge it needed with the help of another perfect set piece.

After Gabi Martinelli had been fouled on the left flank, Declan Rice swung in the perfect teasing cross to the near post - he really is exceptional with these deliveries - and Gabriel got his head to it to send the ball into the bottom corner.

At the weekend, the Brazilian claimed the all-important assist for Leandro Trossard's winner, here he did it all by himself.

Soon after, there was comfort for the Gunners as Martinelli's lovely first-time finish beat keeper Jan Oblak inside his left-hand post. He is really enjoying this competition, the winger, having also found the net in the opening round win in Bilbao. Myles Lewis-Skelly's carry deep into the opposition half paved the way.

All that remained was for Viktor Gyokeres to end his nine-game goal drought and he duly did, stabbing home after Eberechi Eze's initial miscued attempt had fallen his way. The Swede then tapped in from even closer range after the untameable Gabriel nodded another immaculate Rice corner from the back post towards the striker.

It is hard to imagine either the Gunners or Atleti missing the cut for the knock-out phases on this competition. It's more a question of whether they can garner enough points to finish in the top eight to skip that first eliminator round.

With two wins under their belt already, Arteta's men were sitting pretty at kick-off. Atletico, maybe a little less comfortable after losing their first tie 3-2 at Liverpool, surely have more than enough to progress.

There was almost a dream start when Martinelli and Gyokeres combined smartly outside the box to give Eberechi Eze an opening and the midfielder's deflected strike looped onto the crossbar, with Oblak stranded. Rice on the rebound saw his effort bounce up off the turf and over the bar.

Lewis-Skelly popped up to fire just wide not long after during a positive start from the Gunners, while Martinelli had the ball in the net from a low cross by Bukayo Saka - who was monstering defender David Hancko down Atleti's left flank - before a linesman's flag signalled offside.

It wasn't entirely one-way traffic and David Raya was very lucky to get away with a bad mistake as he tried to shepherd the ball out play. He lost possession and then was hopelessly out of position when Julian Alvarez took delivery of a quick thrown-in conceded by the Arsenal keeper to clip the ball wide of an unguarded net.

Alvarez came even closer at the start of the second half with a beautiful hit from just outside the box that rattled Raya's crossbar but the game was about to take a nasty turn for Diego Simeone's team.

That close call was a signal for Arsenal to get serious. Enough with the messing, already. They quickly rattled in a couple of goals to seize control before running riot with two more from Gyokeres to send contended home fans on their way.

Next up for the Gunners in this league is a visit to Slavia Prague before Harry Kane's Bayern Munich make a familiar pilgrimage to N5. A December trip across the channel to Bruges completes the programme before the new year. None of it seems as challenging or as urgent as the three points Arsenal will be after against Palace on Sunday.

Gunners: (4-3-3) Raya - Timber (White 82), Saliba, Gabriel (Mosquera 72), Lewis-Skelly - Zubimendi (Norgaard 72), Eze (Nwaneri 72), Rice - Saka, Gyokeres (Merino 82), Martinelli

Atleti: (4-4-2) Oblak - Llorente, Gimenez (Alex Baena 63), Le Normand, Hancko - Simeone (Griezmann 72), Barrios, Koke (Gallagher 63), Gonzalez (Ruggeri 63) - Sorloth (Almada 72), Alvarez