Arsenal

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Arsenal have started the first two months of this season showing they are ready to challenge in every competition.

The Gunners are unbeaten so far and, not only are results impressive, but the way they are going about it is too.

The same dominance and control they showed as they challenged for the title last season has gone up a notch and the players are starting to show that they truly believe they can achieve something.

Riccardo Calafiori has come in and settled straight away and his athleticism, alongside the way he charges into midfield to link the play, has given Arsenal a new dimension.

Jurrien Timber, returning this season after missing most of the last campaign, to use a football cliche, is like a new signing.

On Tuesday, Arsenal beat Paris St-Germain in the Champions League comfortably with the result never in doubt. PSG are not the team they once were but it was a huge psychological boost for the Gunners to show that they can beat the bigger sides in the competition.

Bukayo Saka said after the game he thinks "this is the year" that Arsenal will win something and that message has been supported by his manager.

"If the players feel that we're in the right direction and they believe in what we do, that's a really good sign," Arteta said. "It's a night to be really happy because we played one of the best teams in the world and we managed to perform and win the way that we did."

Arsenal have navigated a tricky start to the season excellently - you can feel the momentum building with each match.

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Could Arsenal win the Champions League this season? The Gunners reached the quarter-finals last year only to be knocked out by Bayern Munich but have started this campaign with a win and a draw against Paris St-Germain and Atalanta.

"I think they can," ex-Premier League midfielder Leon Osman said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "It is early days but they are competing for the Premier League title and that bodes well for Champions League success.

"Manchester City are favourites for the competition but Arsenal could beat them to the Premier League. That in itself shows the consistency that Arsenal are able to put in through the course of a season and the levels they can play at.

"The team seem to have a good level of maturity and can really go up more gears offensively."

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Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

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It took a while to establish what position Kai Havertz was best suited to but, now ensconced as a striker at Arsenal, he is flourishing.

The German international scored his fifth goal in nine games on Tuesday to help the Gunners beat Paris St-Germain 2-0 in the Champions League.

After being linked with moves for strikers Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen in the summer, Havertz is showing he could provide the firepower Arsenal need this season to fight for trophies both at home and in Europe.

"He has been unbelievable," enthused Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after the PSG win. "His football brain, the way he understands space, timing and the way he brings people together... and his work ethic is incredible.

"Every time he is around the box, he is a real threat and he is one of the main players at the moment."

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Here are some BBC Sport reader comments after Arsenal defeated PSG in the Champions League:

David: I have been watching Arsenal for over 50 years so I’ve seen some great Arsenal teams. But this one is as good any, especially defensively where David Raya, William Saliba and Gabriel are just awesome. We could go very deep in this competition.

Marky: Very solid performance from Arsenal and a deserved win. Can’t really ask for more, another clean sheet and defensively, they just look so good. Even when they make an error, they invariably snuff out the threat. There will be bigger tests, but job done.

Karl: Arsenal just looked relaxed, comfortable when in possession and very good without possession. This was a real test of mentality before the game and I think Arsenal still showed a maturity to their game against a developing PSG.

Woody: Don't want to speak too soon, but they just seem to be starting to go up a gear. There's a grit about them, and that naivety from a season or two ago isn't showing as much. Fingers crossed, COYG.

Berto: Good simple win. After many, many years, it’s nice to see us calmer defensively even when we are under pressure. Gabriel Martinelli may be getting some slack and unfortunately he gave it away in the 89th minute, but he was still full-on sprinting back. I am sure his form in front of goal will return. Don’t like the new Champions League format but we are three points closer to qualifying.

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Former Premier League midfielder Leon Osman believes Arsenal sailed to a comfortable victory against Paris Saint-Germain, saying their performance could still "go up another gear."

"Tactically, Arsenal found a way of hurting PSG in the first half," said Osman on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "Leandro Trossard was going right up against the centre-halves and then dropping away at the last minute, so the PSG midfield were not ready for them.

"They found themselves unopposed and they picked up some lovely key positions.

"They are a team that trust themselves at both ends of the field. If you want to win trophies, then you have to depend on your defence because you will come up against so much quality.

"I feel like they will grow throughout the competition. At the moment, it is all about getting results but I still feel like they can go up another gear. That will come with belief and confidence.

"Usually teams who come out on top in these competitions are the ones who have grown into it."

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Mikel Arteta's Arsenal may now be established as regular challengers in the Premier League title race but they are in their infancy when it comes to the Champions League.

They returned to Europe's elite tournament after a six-year absence last season, narrowly going out to Bayern Munich in the quarter-final.

Arsenal manager Arteta is confident his side has grown in maturity at this level armed with that experience and this was a promising performance against Paris St-Germain.

This is not the PSG of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar but they still harbour Champions League aspirations of their own, so this was a very creditable win for Arsenal.

It was a performance which showed two sides to Arteta's Arsenal as they scored through Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka as a reward for their superiority in the first half, then showed determination and quality without the ball after the break as PSG posed more of a threat.

Arsenal had their moments of difficulty in the second half but this was a win closed out with plenty to spare, making it a very satisfactory night for Arteta and his players.

And there was the added bonus of seeing new signing Mikel Merino emerge as a second half substitute to get some action after the unfortunate start to his Arsenal career following his arrival from Real Sociedad.

Merino, who suffered a shoulder injury in his first training session after an accidental tangle with team-mate Gabriel, eased his way in but just the sight of another squad member getting some minutes clearly delighted Arteta and Arsenal's fans, who gave the newcomer a rousing welcome.

Arsenal were not at their fluent best but there is a defensive resilience that makes them a formidable proposition and will serve them well as the Champions League progresses.

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Arsenal captain on the night Bukayo Saka, speaking to Amazon Prime: "I won't be giving you any inside secrets [on set pieces] but we do work a lot, most days in training, on set pieces. For me and for the boys it is not a coincidence that we score from them every game."

On his confidence at the moment: "This season there is a lot of hunger in my belly. In previous years we have been runners up a lot so it is just that spirit in me that I want to win this season, that is where the confidence is coming from. I believe in myself and that is driving me forward."

On his defensive work rate: "All attacking players we are attack minded and want to go forward but the manager has emphasised a lot to us the need to do the other side of the game. I'm sure you can hear him on the touchline when we are out of possession!

"It does take a lot of sacrifice and discipline but it is what the team requires. When you see the results we have a lot of clean sheets and it shows that we are getting the rewards for that work."

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to Amazon Prime: "Really, really happy with the performance. We played an opponent that has a lot of personality, is really difficult to deal with when you don't have the ball.

"The first half was very dominant and we created a lot of chances and then the second half was a different story.

"We suffered much more than we should have done. The Champions League brings different demands but I think we handled it really well."

On Kai Havertz's form: "He has been unbelievable. His football brain, the way he understands space, his timing, he brings people together. Hs work ethic is incredible and now he is a real threat around the box. He is one of our main players at the moment."

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Arsenal put in another dominant performance against a PSG side that couldn’t deal with their aggressiveness or physicality.

The Gunners imposed themselves on the match from the start and went about controlling the game as they have done the majority of matches so far this season.

Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard caused problems for the Paris Saint-Germain backline with their movement and it was that combination of players that saw Arsenal take the lead when Havertz headed in Trossard's cross.

Riccardo Calafiori was also impressive, his energy up and down the flank giving Arsenal an outlet, whilst he also drifted into midfield to get involved with the build up of attacks.

Saka’s free kick that drifted in through a number of bodies gave Arsenal something to defend in the second half and took the immediate threat of PSG away.

PSG did rally in the second half and Joao Neves hit the bar before Lee Kang-In had a shot that David Raya saved well.

With the 2-0 lead intact, Mikel Arteta was able to give a debut to Mikel Merino who had to wait for the opportunity after getting injured in his first training session after signing in the summer.

Arsenal look every bit as ruthless as you need to be to be a title contender and showed the qualities you need to go deep into this competition.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

What did you make of your team's performance, Arsenal fans?

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Come back to this page on Wednesday to find a selection of your replies

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There are nine Champions League fixtures on Tuesday:

• Red Bull Salzburg v Brest - 17:45

• Stuttgart v Sparta Prague - 17:45

• Arsenal v Paris St-Germain - 20:00 (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• Barcelona v Young Boys - 20:00

• Bayer Leverkusen v AC Milan - 20:00

• Borussia Dortmund v Celtic - 20:00

• Inter Milan v Red Star Belgrade - 20:00

• PSV Eindhoven v Sporting - 20:00

• Slovan Bratislava v Manchester City - 20:00

All kick-off times BST

Follow all the action and reaction here

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French Football Journalist Julien Laurens expects a "narrow Arsenal win with a lot of goals" when they host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Mikel Arteta's side, who started this season's competition with a draw with Atalanta, will have their hopes boosted by the absence of French forward Ousmane Dembele.

Speaking about the Ligue 1 giants to BBC Radio 5 Live, Laurens said the Champions League "has been the holy grail for them" but "they still need a bit more time to compete with the best".

"Arsenal go into every game as favourites," Laurens added. "It is a huge status to have and it is great as they deserve it.

"They showed a lack of experience in last season's competition but they are learning very quickly. It is a massive game because it is a big test for Arsenal and if they win it comfortably it will add more credibility to that process."

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Mikel Arteta has described how Paris St-Germain "protected me like a son" before his Arsenal side take on the French giants in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Arteta spent a season on loan in Paris in 2001 while contracted to Barcelona and could not speak highly enough of the "perfect environment" the club gave him.

"We were in Barcelona when we got the phone call [telling me] that 'you need to pack your bags and fly to Paris now'," he said.

"I was 18 years old and had not played any professional football. You look at those names at the club and you think: 'Are they sure?' But you get there and Luis Fernandez was the manager. He was the one who believed in me.

"You need someone to give you the chance and to be surrounded by the right individuals. I was very lucky to have that.

"They protected me like a son. It was the perfect environment for me - to give me the chance and to see what I was capable of doing. It was an amazing experience.

"I wanted to stay there but I was owned by Barcelona and they couldn't find an agreement."

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

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In January 2001 Mikel Arteta left Barcelona for Paris St-Germain in a move that would ultimately help transform one of the most intelligent midfielders of his generation into one of the game’s top coaches.

It was where he first displayed the leadership qualities that have seen him progress to Arsenal manager and he will welcome PSG to Emirates Stadium on Tuesday in the Champions League.

The 18-year-old Arteta, faced with the impossible task of usurping the likes of Pep Guardiola, French World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit, Dutch international Phillip Cocu and Xavi Hernandez in Barcelona’s star-studded midfield, had moved to the French capital on an 18-month loan deal.

PSG were yet to become French football’s dominant force but had progressed to the second group stage of the Champions League and boasted several big names of their own, including Jay-Jay Okocha, Nicolas Anelka and Mauricio Pochettino.

A young Brazilian by the name of Ronaldinho would join the club from Gremio later that year.

Arteta barely spoke any French, but a small contingent of Spanish speakers helped him settle quickly into life in Ligue 1 and despite his tender years, the teenager made a big impression at the Parc des Princes.

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Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

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What makes a team truly hard to beat? Impenetrable defence? Suffocating press? Ruthlessness in front of goal?

Or is it the persistence that they will always find a way through in the end?

In the past two seasons, Arsenal have become a team hard to beat. Much of this has been down to their defensive discipline. Arsenal ended last season with the best defensive record in the league. David Raya is commanding, William Saliba and Gabriel imperious, the rotating left and right-backs seamless in slotting in. Leicester did not have a single corner on Saturday.

But the 4-2 win presented another reason why Arsenal have become such a nuisance to take points off - their ability to win right at the death. It was not pretty, with Leandro Trossard’s wayward shot deflecting in and sending Emirates Stadium into raptures.

After peppering the Leicester goal for the majority of the second half, nothing would stop Arsenal in their attempts to clinch the win.

That said, allowing Leicester back into the game might act as a small reminder that the Gunners are not flawless. Fans may still be haunted by games at West Ham and Liverpool two seasons ago when Arsenal twice let two-goal leads slip.

As such, at 2-1, there were nerves in the crowd; nerves that Arsenal will be keen to nip in the bud, particularly against stronger sides than Leicester.

Scoring winning goals in injury time can definitely be the mark of champions, but it did not need to happen in the first place.

Why make it easy for yourselves when you could give the 60,000 watching at the ground - and the millions around the world - a mild heart attack?

Please don't do that to us again, Arsenal!

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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It already has the look of a fabulous, close and ever-changing race to the Premier League title this season. Arsenal lost two points in the last seconds against Man City but grabbed them back in the 94th minute against Leicester.‌

Gabriel, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori were all denied brilliantly in the second half by Mads Hermansen, and even though the Leicester keeper eventually shipped four goals, he was still in the running for MVP.

From the moment I walked into the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, it was clear that this group of players and fans now believe and I understand why.

‌Even when they don’t have a weakness they still strive to improve. Full-backs Calafiori and Jurrien Timber underline this attitude. Manager Mikel Arteta demands not only top-quality defending, but comfort on the ball and real threat going forward. They have upgraded at full-back when they were perfectly good there before.

‌They will struggle to improve on William Saliba and Gabriel, the best centre-back pairing in the Premier League. Time and again each defender trusted the other to take care of Jamie Vardy on his own, as the other ventured forward. That is a big call as Vardy, though no spring chicken, isn’t often deliberately left mano a mano by anyone.

‌The most noticeable change, spotted by everyone even if no-one can do anything about it, is that danger from corners. There are very few moves in the game that are so telegraphed but are still almost impossible to stop.

‌They will not all say it out loud yet, but everyone in red sitting beside me in that stadium on Saturday thinks that this is the year.

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Arsenal and Real Madrid are among a number of European clubs interested in signing 18-year-old Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis. (The Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Paris St-Germain boss Luis Enrique sees Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as "one of the best coaches on the market at the moment" before Tuesday's Champions League meeting between the sides at Emirates Stadium.

Enrique played a season alongside Arteta as a player at Barcelona and believes his opposite number has transformed the fortunes of Arsenal.

"He [Arteta] was a very young player, but he was in the first-team squad," Enrique said in his pre-match news conference.

"He has had a great start to his coaching career and it will be a great pleasure to chat to him tomorrow, even if it is just for five minutes before the start of the game.

"He is one of the best coaches on the market at the moment. He changed Arsenal's fortunes from a somewhat winless streak to one of the best teams in the world that is competing for titles.

"I would go as far as to say they are the best team in Europe playing without the ball. He is a great coach and a great person."

Enrique also confirmed winger Ousmane Dembele has been axed from his squad for Tuesday's game, hinting at a disagreement between the pair

"If someone doesn't comply or respect the expectations of the team, it means they are not prepared to play," he said.

"The match tomorrow is very important and I want all my players to be ready, so as a consequence I have left him [Dembele] out.

"These circumstances are difficult and you have to take difficult decisions. But I am 100% engaged with my decision, and 100% sure of the decision I have made.

"It doesn't mean this is irreversible, but I took the best decision for the team and that is why I signed here, to create a team that has a strong identity and has a lot of character.

"I was also hired to win titles. I cannot guarantee that. But I can guarantee the rest, which is playing with a strong identity. The day I cannot do this I will go home.

"I have the support of the club's president and the sporting director."

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Arsenal had just nine touches in the opposition box in their 0-0 draw with Atalanta last time out; their fewest in a Champions League match since March 2014 in a game against Bayern Munich (also nine).