As a result, the Gunners have the away-goal advantage ahead of the return leg next week and Arteta is pleased with the contribution from Saka, who has been effective from the left-back role despite being a winger by trade, he told BT Sport: “He’s not a fullback, but he’s responding really well in the right way, he’s got a lot of courage.He made a lot of good positions in final third and most of the chances came from his side. I’m very pleased with his performance.”

Meanwhile, Arteta added to talk about the performance of Lacazette, who has scored in back-to-back games for the club, having previously failed to find the net for nine matches, he added: “That confidence and support came from me and his teammates. The way they reacted when he scored, that was a lift. That’s not just a coincidence. It’s something that happens because the energy of the team is putting energy into him as well.”

Arsenal’s immediate focus will shift to the Premier League where they have a home game against Everton. The Gunners are currently seven points behind the top-four and six adrift of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. With Manchester’s European competition ban, the Gunners will be assured with a Champions League berth with a fifth-place finish to the season but they can’t afford to depend on that, considering the Citizens could overturn the embargo through their expected appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.