The latest news from the Emirates following Arsenal's Champions League victory over Slavia Praha
Arsenal kept their 100% Champions League record intact after a comfortable 3-0 victory over Czech Republic opponents Slavia Prague. With Viktor Gyokeres out, Mikel Merino filled in at striker and grabbed a brace on the night.
Bukayo Saka got the scoring underway in the 32nd minute, netting from the penalty spot. The game marked the eighth in a row that Arsenal have kept a clean sheet. Young Max Dowman also became the youngest ever Champions League player aged 15 years and 308 days.
This Saturday, Arsenal face high-flying Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The Gunners will be going up against former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, who is at the very centre of the newly-promoted side's epic Premier League run this season. Ahead of this game, Mirror Football goes through all the latest big news coming from the Emirates.
Striker Gyokeres will miss Arsenal's trip to the north east on Saturday evening. He has been left out of Sweden's squad for their two games against Switzerland and Slovenia in the coming weeks. He is believed to be struggling with a hamstring injury.
The Swedish goalscorer was forced off at half-time in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Burnley last weekend and he'll now be undergoing scans to determine the extent of his injury.
Mikel Arteta is due to give an update on his striker's current condition at Friday's press conference. "I am concerned because he hasn’t had many muscular issues and he had to leave the pitch and he was feeling something and that’s obviously never a good sign," he said on Monday.
"Especially for a player that is very, very explosive, so we are digging in a little bit more to understand where we are in terms of injury and we will announce it when we know more. He was very disappointed after the match [at Burnley] with what he felt, but this is part of football."
Gabriel Martinelli has nicknamed Mikel Merino 'R9' following Arsenal's Champions League victory. Bagging a brace on Tuesday, Merino posted to Instagram with the caption: "Champions League nights", with Martinelli leaving the kind comment likening him to the legendary Brazilian striker.
With Gyokeres ruled out, Merino has filled in up front and delivered in the absence of the main man. Arteta spoke positively about the Spaniard after the match. "It’s a joy to have him," explained the boss. "I always say the same thing. It’s his versatility on the pitch, the things that he can do, it’s his mindset, it’s his leadership, it’s the way he is as a person.
"Today, we are missing a lot of attacking players, and we have to find different solutions. He comes in the Champions League and scores two goals."
Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich says facing Arsenal will allow the German club to see where they stand.
Vincent Kompany's team defeated Paris Saint Germain 2-1 away from home on Tuesday night thanks to two goals from ex-Liverpool forward Luis Diaz.
Next up for Bayern in the competition is a date with Arsenal on November 26 at the Emirates. Speaking after his side beat PSG, Kimmich said: "We are first and have Arsenal in the next game. Then we can see once again where we stand.
"But in Paris, especially the first half, we were already outstandingly good. We were incredibly resilient, had many really good chances and were physically very present. I must say, the first-half was one of the most intense halves of my career, of both teams, this constant man-on-man game and in the second half it felt even more intense."