The opening goal arrived midway through the first half under controversial circumstances. Following a VAR review for handball, referee Aliyar Aghayeav awarded Arsenal a penalty after replays showed the ball striking Slavia captain Lukas Provod’s arm inside the box.

Saka, wearing the captain’s armband for the night, made no mistake from 12 yards calmly rolling his shot into the bottom corner to give the visitors a deserved 1–0 lead.

Just moments after the restart, Arsenal doubled their advantage in clinical fashion. A swift move down the left saw Leandro Trossard deliver a teasing cross that found Mikel Merino, who finished first-time past Jakub Markovic.

The Spanish midfielder later added a second though this time with a touch of fortune when his looping header slipped through the goalkeeper’s hands and into the net. The error capped a frustrating night for the Czech side, whose resistance crumbled against Arsenal’s sharp passing and disciplined shape.

Goalkeeper David Raya enjoyed another quiet evening, extending Arsenal’s remarkable defensive record to eight consecutive clean sheets across all competitions. That equals a club record that had stood since 1903 a reflection of how Arteta’s defensive philosophy has taken root.

Even when Slavia appeared to have a lifeline in the dying moments with a penalty awarded for a challenge on Provod, VAR once again intervened this time to overturn the decision.

There was more history made when Max Dowman, just 15 years and 308 days old, came off the bench to become the youngest player in Champions League history. The teenager looked composed beyond his years, completing several passes and showing flashes of confidence that underline why Arsenal rate him so highly.

The win marked Arsenal’s 10th straight victory in all competitions a testament to the consistency and cohesion Arteta has built into this squad. The balance between control and creativity was once again evident, with Saka’s leadership and Merino’s box-to-box presence driving the team forward.

While there were brief moments of pressure early on, Arsenal never truly looked threatened and managed the game with maturity a sign of a side growing more ruthless with every outing.

With qualification already secured and momentum building, Arteta’s only challenge now may be keeping his squad fresh and focused. Bigger tests await in the knockout rounds, but for now, Arsenal look every bit like a team capable of challenging Europe’s elite.