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MIKEL ARTETA and Arsenal fans were near scratching their heads aft Kai Havertz was denied the accidental to marque history.
The Gunners claimed a constrictive 1-0 triumph implicit Shakhtar Donetsk arsenic a first-half Gabriel Martinelli onslaught cannoned disconnected the backmost of goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk and into the extremity aft hitting the post.
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The hosts were connected apical for astir of the game, but had a fewer precocious scares.
That could person been avoided erstwhile Arsenal were fixed the accidental to treble the pb from the punishment spot with 15 minutes to go.
A VAR reappraisal had revealed that Valeriy Bondar had handled the shot successful the box.
However, with the North Londoners accustomed takers Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard sidelined done injury, it was near to a caller prima to instrumentality connected the mantle.
Havertz, 25, appeared to beryllium the evident choice, fixed helium had scored 20 of his 21 vocation penalties.
The German was acceptable to lucifer an all-time nine grounds by Thierry Henry by scoring successful 8 consecutive location games.
But surprisingly, it was team-mate Leandro Trossard who stepped up to instrumentality the kick.
Yet the Belgian - who was already enduring a beneath par night - fluffed his lines arsenic his anemic onslaught down the mediate of the extremity was saved by Riznyk.
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Arsenal held connected to their triumph and cleanable expanse acknowledgment to immoderate precocious heroics from David Raya, though Arteta mightiness person wished his squad had added a furniture of comfort.
Speaking aft the game, Arteta admitted helium was not definite what the crushed was down the decision.
Arsenal subordinate ratings vs Shakhtar
He told Amazon Prime Sport: "I don't know.
"I don't cognize the speech due to the fact that he's 1 of the takers but Leo decided to instrumentality it. Okay, helium missed it, [but] that's it unfortunately."
Speaking successful his post-match property league helium doubled down connected the answer, adding: "They made a decision. The punishment takers usually are Bukayo and Martin. Unfortunately Leo missed it."
Reacting to the punishment miss connected societal media, 1 fan said: "You get a punishment and springiness it to Trossard yet your champion punishment taker (Havertz) is connected pitch. We tin truly instrumentality risks and that’s not acceptable."
A 2nd said: "Havertz has scored 20 of the 21 penalties he's taken successful his career. Why was Trossard taking it?"
A 3rd added: "Havertz is mode excessively bully too. Should person snatched the shot consecutive distant from Trossard."
Despite continuing their unbeaten Champions League run, the Shakhtar triumph has proven costly with Riccardo Calafiori present looking acceptable for a spell connected the sidelines aft going disconnected injured.
With Arsenal besides confirming yesterday they would not entreaty William Saliba's reddish paper from the Bournemouth game, it means they volition beryllium without a fig of cardinal stars arsenic they big Liverpool connected Sunday.
Arteta described Calafiori's wounded arsenic worrying, portion helium has besides formed uncertainty connected Bukayo Saka's availability for the match.
With Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard besides sidelined, they could beryllium without arsenic galore arsenic six archetypal squad stars against the Premier League leaders.
Arsenal ratings vs Shakhtar: Jesus reminds fans of his prime but Trossard flops for mediocre Gunners
ARSENAL continued their unbeaten tally successful the Champions League with a 1-0 triumph implicit Shakhtar Donetsk - but it was acold from a convincing performance.
Gabriel Martinelli orchestrated the decisive extremity erstwhile his low-driven onslaught deed the station and deflected successful disconnected the backmost of goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk.
Here’s however SunSport’s Tony Robertson rated the Gunners…
DAVID RAYA - 7
Seldom asked to bash overmuch speech from recycle the shot to Gabriel oregon Saliba until the last stages
Pushed a perchance unsafe transverse retired of information successful the 84th minute. Pulled retired a magnificent low prevention successful wounded clip earlier claiming a unsafe transverse to support his cleanable sheet.
BEN WHITE - 6
Back successful astatine right-back contiguous and played arsenic if helium had ne'er been retired of the team.
Received a yellowish paper successful the 34th minute. Subbed astatine half-time for Mikel Merino.
WILLIAM SALIBA - 7
In the squad aft his reddish paper against Bournemouth, played similar his typically assured self marshalling the defence.
One oregon 2 sloppy passes precocious successful the 2nd fractional but different tin person nary complaints with another solid performance.
GABRIEL MAGALHAES - 5
Sloppily gave the shot distant to manus the visitors a unsafe accidental retired of nothing. Had different lapse conscionable aft the opener but successful the extremity helium was bailed retired by Calafiori.
Marked betterment successful the 2nd half.
RICCARDO CALAFIORI - 6
Skied a aureate accidental implicit the barroom aft six minutes. Tested the goalkeeper again aft 24 minutes.
Dragged his ft and went down injured aft skipping nether a tackle successful the 67th minute. Replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly successful 71st minute.
THOMAS PARTEY - 6
Comfortable evening successful midfield for him. Recycled the shot good erstwhile astatine his feet and kept play ticking over.
Moved to close backmost arsenic White was hooked but didn't person excessively galore worries. When helium was caught retired of presumption Rice was capable to cover.
DECLAN RICE - 6
Like Partey, helium had a quiescent nighttime successful midfield with Shakhtar incapable to clasp meaningful possession.
Moved into the six arsenic White was hooked and Partey moved to right-back. Cut retired a unsafe debased transverse astatine the borderline of the area.
LEANDRO TROSSARD - 4
Nothing rather went close for him each nighttime with immoderate sloppy touches ending attacks and putting Arsenal successful trouble.
Summed up his nighttime by missing a 77th infinitesimal punishment and was hooked successful the 88th minute.
GABRIEL JESUS - 8
Wore the captain's armband and looked agleam down the close wing.
Denied a well-deserved extremity by the feet of the keeper successful the 43rd infinitesimal aft Havertz played him in.
Second fractional saw much bully nexus play, but ne'er had different accidental to extremity his extremity drought arsenic helium was replaced by Sterling successful the 68th minute.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI - 7
Grew into the crippled pursuing a quiescent commencement and was rewarded with a goal, of sorts, aft 30 minutes.
Brazilian chopped wrong from the near helping earlier firing a changeable to the adjacent station earlier the changeable rebounded disconnected the woodwork and deed the goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk to spell successful the net.
KAI HAVERTZ - 7
Centimeters away from getting Arsenal's 2nd successful the 39th infinitesimal aft Jesus squared a volley backmost crossed goal.
Returned the favour to acceptable up his team-mate moments aboriginal lone for the goalkeeper to forestall a goal.
Won a free-kick astatine the precise extremity of the crippled to tally the timepiece down.
SUBS
Mikel Merino (on for White HT) - 6
Some bully touches and stitched play unneurotic well. A coagulated yet unspectacular performance.
Raheem Sterling (on for Jesus 68 mins) - 6
Tried to play connected the enarthrosis of the past antheral but did not person the gait find the wide chopped accidental helium would person liked.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (on for Calafiori 71 mins) - 6
Slotted successful astatine left-back and was not acrophobic to amusement for the shot but often did not person it portion tucking infield.
Jorginho (on for Trossard 88 mins) - N/A
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