Arsenal 3 Monaco 0: Bukayo Saka scores twice to save wasteful Gunners and boost automatic qualification hopes

THANK GOD for Bukayo Saka.

Without him, Arsenal could still be playing now without finding the net – the Gunners racking up enough glaring misses in either half to fill an Argos Christmas catalogue.

It came close to being three games on the spin in all competitions without a goal from open play before Saka stepped up in the 34th and 78th minute to decide this bizarre Champions League clash.

Monaco were incredibly average, defensively naïve and offensively mute, but were in the contest thanks to Mikel Arteta’s merry band of wasteful wobblers – who ironically only had one corner kick the entire game.

But in Saka, they have a man in form, a man for the occasion, a man whose numbers shine on the global stage, and even grabbed an assist from a late Thilo Kehrer own goal.

He has 21 goal involvements in 21 games so far this term – nine goals and 12 assists.

And since the start of last season, only Harry Kane (18) and Vinicius Jr (16) have been involved in more Champions League goals than Saka – eight goals, six assists.

This European elite league phase does not look too shabby either for the North Londoners, surely coasting their way to a top eight automatic last 16 finish with four wins from six.

Hale End academy grad Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, was thrown in for his first Champions League start amid yet another defensive crisis Arteta has lost sleep over.

As was the case for the 1-1 draw at Fulham on Sunday, defenders Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko were absent with Jurrien Timber dropping out for Lewis-Skelly.

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Thomas Partey began at right-back for the second game in a row – another player that missed training in the build-up to this one, thrown in out of necessity.

The spotlight was up the other end of the pitch, however, with Gabriel Jesus starting just his seventh game of the campaign in all competitions – his first in this competition since October 22.

With just one goal to his name this term, it is easy to understand why.

Arteta spent pre-match defending the Brazilian’s stinking form and insisting he would not be leaving in January.

Jesus had the chance to back up his manager’s positivity with an early goal, but his current form appears to be harder to shake off than the common cold.

Put through down the left inside the opening four minutes, his finish softly into the arms of Monaco keeper Radoslaw Majecki was tame and awkward.

A brilliant one-two then allowed Mikel Merino to flash a delicious ball across goal.

Jesus fell to the floor attempting a lunge, but he was on his toes and never getting there.

Monaco were suffocating and needed to take a breath, doing some briefly as Aleksandr Golovin jinked is way into some space outside the box and worried David Raya with a whipped curler.

A minor relief the French giants.

Martin Odegaard responded with a curling effort of his own, trying to build some momentum and positivity with fluidity in short supply.

Declan Rice took matters into his own hands by hoofing it long from his own box and Jesus was in with acres of green grass to gallop into but he never looked comfortable under the bouncing ball.

The touch was clumsy and the volleyed finish was inviting of a save from the right leg of Majecki.

How about a do-over? Jesus got that chance seconds later but the same result, driving into the box with his shot deflected into the body of the busy Pole between the sticks.

Arteta kicked the air in frustration, but he was soon jumping for joy.

Lewis-Skelly brilliantly wriggled out of trouble and fed Jesus down the left.

This time his touch was good, his delivery across goal to the far post for Saka to nudge in even better.

A goal that should have put a pin in the anxiety balloon hanging over the Emirates.

Instead, it gained in size thanks to the biggest miss of the lot.

Odegaard pressed like a maniac, nicked the ball off a sleeping Soungoutou Magassa, nut-megged Kehrer and was in for a certain goal.

In this sort of funk, nothing is certain.

The Norwegian took several looks and shanked wide. Moments later, Odegaard fed Martinelli only for the winger to do the same.

Whatever had infected Arsenal’s shooting boots, it was spreading.

The half-time whistle blew to stunned silence. Odegaard shook his head and flapped his arms.

The nerves were jangling after the break.

Ex-Hammeer Kehrer headed wide from a free-kick and Breel Embolo should have found the bottom corner from a William Saliba error in the 65^th minute.

Odegaard missed another soon after, firing straight at Majecki from a cross by sub Leandro Trossard.

Arsenal needed the gift of all gifts, and they got it with 12 minutes remaining.

Majecki tossed away all his good work by taking too long in his own six-yard box under pressure to another sub Kai Havertz, as Saka pounced and showed the rest of his pals how it is done.

Ten minutes later, with the pressure lifted, even Monaco were teaching the hosts scoring lessons, Kehrer fumbling into his own net from a cross by – who else – Saka.