Arteta: This Eze goal is why he is at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta heaped praise on Eberechi Eze after the Arsenal midfielder's incredible goal against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Eze opened the scoring with a volley from distance after a quick passing move that involved Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard.

Eze is the second English player to score for Arsenal in the Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season, after Theo Walcott in 2012-13.

Rice then secured the 2-0 second-leg win, and 3-1 aggregate win, with a clinical finish of his own from the edge of the box in the second half.

In Eze and Rice, Arsenal had two English players score in the same Champions League match for the first time since October 2016 (Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain vs Ludogorets).

Arteta was delighted with the impact of both Eze and Rice in the victory, which sees them face Sporting CP in the last eight of the competition.

Arteta, speaking in the post-match news conference and to TNT Sports, said: "We started the game so well, and we were a threat from every angle.

"Their keeper kept them in the game, and we needed a magical moment from Ebs [Eberechi Eze] to give us the lead.

"Then, in the second half, Declan's action gave us the opportunity to win the game, and we had four or five situations where we should've scored a third, but overall, we fully deserved to win and be into the quarter-finals.

"Ebs is playing every three days, he has rhythm, has an understanding with the players and this [the goal] is why he is here.

"He is building an understanding with all of them, and when you start to make key moments in games, that lifts your confidence.

"Declan was immense, him and the whole team – the manner they go into every ball and the passion they show is remarkable.

"It was an incredible moment from Declan to finish the game. We want to try and get more chances like that for people because we have got a lot of players that can do that."

Arsenal have won 37 of their 49 games in all competitions this season (D9 L3). Only in 2001-02 (39) and 1970-71 (41) have they ever won more in a single campaign (also 37 in 2003-04).

The Gunners have reached the Champions League quarter-final in three consecutive seasons for the second time, previously doing so between 2007-08 and 2009-10.