Arsenal earned a comprehensive 5-0 victory against relegation-threatened Norwich City to secure a fourth successive Premier League victory.
The Gunners exerted their dominance right from the start, opening the scoring through Bukayo Saka inside six minutes. The winger saw his hopeful effort slip past an outstretched Angus Gunn into the back of the Norwich net. Saka’s early goal was followed by a Kieran Tierney strike on the cusp of half-time.
It was pretty much plain sailing for the Gunners after the break, as Norwich’s depleted side looked tired and beaten. Saka scored his second in the 67th minute, cutting inside to score a beautiful goal from the edge of the box.
Alexandre Lacazette then won and slotted a spot-kick minutes before substitute Emile Smith Rowe wrapped things up with Arsenal’s fifth of the night. The resounding victory saw Mikel Arteta’s side move six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have three games in hand, though.
Arsenal player ratings from the game
Aaron Ramsdale – 7/10
Ramsdale had very little to do for most of the game, as Norwich rarely attacked Arsenal’s box. He made only two saves throughout the 90 minutes, and showed good ability on the ball.
Ben White – 7/10
White put in a diligent performance on the night. Deployed at right-back, the defender performed his defensive duties well, but struggled to replicate a similar performance in attack.
Rob Holding – 6/10
Holding was needlessly reckless at times. Thanks to Norwich’s toothless attack, the centre-back had very little to worry about on the defensive side of things. He completed 87% of his passes, and managed six ball recoveries during the game.
Gabriel Magalhaes – 8/10
Magalhaes put on a solid show at the heart of Arsenal’s defence. He showed excellent positional awareness, keeping Norwich’s attackers at bay throughout the game. The centre-back also showcased his impressive ball-playing ability, completing 63 passes at 93% accuracy.
Kieran Tierney – 8/10
Tierney was a constant threat to Norwich’s defence. He was flawless in defence, and brilliant in attack.
The left-back dominated his flank, and netted a well-taken strike for Arsenal’s second.
Thomas Partey – 7/10
It was one of his better performances of the season. Partey was influential in dictating the flow of the game going forward and key in breaking Norwich’s attacks. He managed eight ball recoveries, and completed 92% of his passes.
Granit Xhaka – 7/10
Playing in what seemed like an advanced-eight role, Xhaka didn’t look completely out of place despite the change in position. In fact, he managed to create a couple of good chances for his teammates while also doing a fair bit of defensive work.
Martin Odegaard – 8.5/10
Odegaard showcased an adept reading of the game, keeping play ticking for Arsenal with neat and accurate passes. He particularly stood out with his ability to look for line-breaking passes. The youngster racked up two assists to cap off a dominant midfield display.
Bukayo Saka – 8.5/10
By far the best player on the pitch, Saka played his role to perfection against Norwich City on the night.
The youngster tormented the Norwich left-back throughout the game, and made his presence felt with two sumptuous goals.
Gabriel Martinelli – 7/10
Martinelli made some good runs behind Norwich’s defensive line, and caused all sorts of problems for their centre-backs. He was unlucky to see his second-half goal chalked off for offside.
Alexandre Lacazette – 7/10
Lacazette had a fairly quiet evening at the office. He often dropped in deeper positions to link up play for the Gunners. The Frenchman showcased a marvellous work rate throughout the game, and calmly slotted his spot-kick for Arsenal’s fourth of the evening.
Ratings of Arsenal substitutes against Norwich City
Mohamed Elneny – 6/10
Elneny came on as a 75th-minute substitute for Partey. Although he was not as influential as the latter, Elneny kept play ticking for the Gunners with his neat and tidy passes.
Nicolas Pepe – 6/10
Pepe came on as a 78th-minute substitute for Saka. He played a part in Smith Rowe’s goal, but had minimal impact on the game otherwise.
Emile Smith Rowe – 7/10
Smith Rowe came on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Martinelli. The youngster was in the right place at the right time to poke Arsenal’s fifth of the night. (AF)
