Arsenal 1–0 Shakhtar Donetsk

A first half own goal by Shakhtar Donetsk keeper Dmytro Riznyk was enough to beat the battling visitors from Ukraine.

Despite Riznyk attempting to make amends when he saved Leandro Trossard’s weak penalty with 13 minutes remaining, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners scraped over the line to pick up three vital points in their bid to qualify for the knock-out stages by making the top eight of the new style Champions League.

In a lively start, Riccardo Calafiori lifted his sixth minute effort over the bar, during a spell of intense, early Arsenal dominance, which was bookended by the Italian’s 23rd minute drive that Donetsk keeper Riznyk gathered. 

The dominance eventually told six minutes later, as the Gunners went 1-0 up. The goal came after Gabi Martinelli fired a low shot onto the post, before the ball rebounded onto visitor’s keeper Riznyk, and into the net for an own goal.

Jesus could have doubled the lead moments before half time, but Riznyk was alert to block the Brazil attacker’s low effort, after Trossard dovetailed well to work the opening. 

While the underperforming Jesus looked like a striker badly in need of a goal, compatriot Martinelli proved a threat to Riznyk all night, nearly robbing the 25-year-old Poltavo-born Ukraine netminder early in the second half, while also forcing a smart save shortly afterwards.

However, such dominance brought complacency in the home defence through Trossard – fresh from his badly timed ball back to Saliba at Bournemouth that led to the defender’s expulsion – who attempted to play the ball across the backline, only for Donetsk’s Equinaldo’s to latch onto the errant ball, only to be blocked by Gabriel, as Raya claimed a looping, dolly catch.  

As the clock ticked down Calafiori picked up an injury that saw the 23-year-old Italian hobble off, following two tough knocks in quick succession. With Ben White subbed at the interval for Mikel Merino, the number of candidates to replace the suspended Saliba in the heart of defence against Liverpool on Sunday appears to be shrinking by the day.

To cap a frustrating evening Trossard was replaced by Jorginho late on, following his 77th minute penalty miss.

It could have been worse but for Raya smart late save that saw the ball thud off his outstretched arm when diving full length to deny Pedrinho's strike during the six minutes of added time.