They took nothing for granted against a CSKA Moscow side that had won their last three games on the bounce prior to this thrashing at the Emirates. It included a plausible 3-2 win over Lyon in the previous round; a side whose stadium host the Europa League final on May 16th and would have been eager to be part of it. As a result, Arsenal had to be weary of Moscow’s fast counter attack and most noticeably Ahmed Musa, who is on loan from Leicester City.

 

The problem for Moscow is their inability to prevent goals. The Russians haven’t kept a clean sheet in Europe’s elite competition since 2006... A 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, you couldn’t write it. Although, it was a little bit different this time out.

 

Arsenal started the strongest and had the ball in the net after just seven minutes, although Ramsey was deemed offside following a clever one-two with Mesut Özil.

 

Just two minutes later, Ramsey had the ball in the net again and this one counted. A sublime team move eventually saw Hector Bellerin fizz a low cross to the Welshman who tapped home from close range.

 

Gunners fans weren’t required to be patient following Ramsey’s disallowed goal and 24-year-old John Short, who regularly appears on ArsenalFanTV, credited Arsenal’s electric start as the game changer. “We started well and got an early goal which set the tone. We’ve been far more efficient in this competition,” he says.

 

Musa had a handful of golden chances and flustered the Arsenal defence on occasions. But it was Golovkin’s free-kick – whipped into the top corner – that drew the away side level following a cheap foul by Koscielny. 1-1 - game on?

 

Nope. Well, only for seven minutes. Özil drove into the box and was tripped by Georgi Schennikov for an Arsenal penalty. Alexandre Lacazette stepped up and sent Igor Akinfeev the wrong way to restore the Gunners lead.

 

Ramsey produced his moment of magic just before the half hour mark. Özil pinged the ball to the Welshman - from the left - who grabbed his brace in fine style – pivoting mid-air to backheel the ball over Akinfeev for 12 yards out. “It was one of the best goals I have ever seen live,” says ecstatic 20-year-old Arsenal fan, Paul Moody. “The skill and cheek to even have the guts to attempt it was just pure quality.”

 

Well in their stride, Arsenal were relentless and Moscow simply couldn’t cope. The only English side left in the Europa League added a fourth ten minutes before half time; Lacazette rifled in his second of the evening following a cut-back by Nacho Monreal. Strangely, the Frenchman’s first Europa League strike for Arsenal proved to be the final goal of the game.

 

Arsenal travel to Moscow for the second leg on April 12th as they aim to secure their place in the semi-finals. Moscow need to win by at least a three-goal margin to have any hope of qualification, another ‘Lyon’ shock on the cards? Arsenal cannot afford to get on the beach just yet.