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Arsenal vs Olympiacos: 4 talking points from 3-1 Europa League win

By Ross Kennerley

PIRAEUS, GREECE - MARCH 11: Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal celebrates with team mates Kieran Tierney and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after scoring their side's third goal during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 First Leg match between Olympiacos and Arsenal at Karaiskakis Stadium on March 11, 2021 in Piraeus, Greece. Sporting stadiums around Europe remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)
PIRAEUS, GREECE - MARCH 11: Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal celebrates with team mates Kieran Tierney and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after scoring their side's third goal during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 First Leg match between Olympiacos and Arsenal at Karaiskakis Stadium on March 11, 2021 in Piraeus, Greece. Sporting stadiums around Europe remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal’s players celebrate after scoring a goal during the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first-leg football match between Olympiacos FC and Arsenal FC at the Karaiskakis Stadium, in Piraeus, near Athens on March 11, 2021. (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS / AFP) (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

A Win is a Win

It’s not all doom and gloom, is it?

Of course, it’s vital to pick apart where Arsenal went wrong on the night and to highlight the point that they were indeed lucky – their xG hovered just over the 1.00 mark – but the side have just left the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium with a 3-1 win.

Not a soul in sight wouldn’t have taken that result before kick-off.

It puts Arsenal in absolute control of their destiny at this stage, knowing a single goal can entirely wrap up progression to the next round and even that isn’t essential. Arteta will not take the opposition lightly and learn from last season’s mistakes, yet even he will be comfortable with the position they’re in.

Being able to use five substitutes also works in the Gunners’ favour as they can ease the strain on many of their players’ legs for the second leg if the tie is appropriately wrapped up at some stage during the Emirates Stadium meeting.

Next. Player ratings vs Olympiacos. dark

Far from perfect, victory away from home sets the tone for Sunday’s monumental North London Derby. Will winning that change the Premier League shambles the Gunners have plunged themselves into? No. But that really isn’t the point on Sunday.

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