Arsenal complete Champions League clean sweep for top spot

Arsenal made history by becoming the inaugural team to triumph in every one of their eight fixtures during the Champions League league stage, clinching the summit position thanks to a 3-2 victory against Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

The squad under Mikel Arteta had already locked in their advancement to the round of 16, while also ensuring home field benefit for the return fixture in the knockout rounds provided they advance further.

As newcomers to the competition, Kairat ended up at the foot of the 36-team standings, managing only a single point across their eight outings, rendering them no real challenge for the frontrunners of the Premier League.

Arteta had the flexibility to rotate his lineup entirely with 11 alterations from the team that suffered their initial home defeat of the campaign at the Emirates against Manchester United this past Sunday, and Kai Havertz's resurgence on the scoresheet might prove vital for their pursuit of trophies across four tournaments ahead.

The German forward earned his initial starting role in almost a year following a 12-month spell plagued by injuries.

Havertz demonstrated his quality within the opening two minutes via a precise through ball that allowed Viktor Gyokores to net his tenth strike of the term.

Jorginho provided the away side with a highlight by converting from the penalty area to level the scores.

Havertz swiftly reestablished Arsenal's lead by smashing home his opening goal of the season from just outside the box.

The player who netted the decisive goal for Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League decider contributed again to Arsenal's third, with his delivery from the flank finished off by Gabriel Martinelli.

Ricardinho managed a late consolation in added time, allowing Kairat to conclude their tough inaugural foray into Champions League action on an uplifting note.