EXCLUSIVE: “I know I scored two most dangerous goals in football history against Athletico Madrid but that guy made it possible and I always scored goals anytime he starts”…

Arsenal continued their perfect winning streak in this season’s Champions League with a commanding win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.

Gabriel headed Arsenal into the lead from a set-piece just before the hour mark, and Gabriel Martinelli maintained his streak of scoring in every Champions League match this season.

Viktor Gyokeres broke his goal drought by netting twice in quick succession, helping Mikel Arteta’s team secure three wins out of three in the League Phase.

The Gunners were the superior team in the first half, yet they had nothing to show for their control as Eberechi Eze’s deflected shot struck the crossbar, and Jan Oblak made a great save to deny Bukayo Saka.

Martinelli believed he had opened the scoring just before half-time, but his goal was rightly disallowed for offside.

In a rare blunder, Gunners goalkeeper David Raya nearly allowed Giuliano Simeone to score, while Julian Alvarez hit the crossbar early in the second half.

Eze’s performance lacking

Eberechi Eze was positioned as Arsenal’s number ten against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, but he fell short of expectations for the Gunners.

The England international had a tough time against Fulham on Saturday evening, and even though Mikel Arteta’s team comfortably won against the Spanish side, Eze’s performance did not improve.

Arsenal acquired Eze for £67.5 million in the summer to provide support and competition for Martin Odegaard.

With Odegaard sidelined due to injury, this is the moment the North Londoners need the former Crystal Palace player to rise to the occasion, but he has yet to do so.

Eberechi Eze’s performance against Atletico Madrid was not up to par.

Odegaard is anticipated to be out until after the next international break, meaning Eze will be starting as the Gunners’ most advanced midfielder for the foreseeable future.

He will need to deliver significantly more than he has in his first two appearances since the Norwegian’s injury.

Positioned behind Viktor Gyokeres and alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, Eze had a subdued performance during his time on the field.

Other than a long-range shot that was deflected and hit the crossbar early in the match, as well as a poorly executed attempt that contributed to Gyokeres’ second goal, the 27-year-old struggled to make a consistent impact on the game.

Eze found it challenging to engage in the match, often being closely marked by either Pablo Barrios or Koke, which limited his opportunities for possession.

Arteta expressed his dissatisfaction with Eze’s performance, opting to substitute him for Ethan Nwaneri in the 72nd minute.

Ethan Nwaneri should be preferred over Eberechi Eze in the upcoming match against Crystal Palace.

Eze is still in the process of adapting and requires time to acclimate in a stable environment.

Unfortunately for him, Arsenal faces Palace this weekend. Competing against his former club, which has given him so much, will undoubtedly be an emotionally charged occasion that could overwhelm him.

For this reason, Nwaneri should take the starting position over Eze against the Eagles. Nwaneri has shown promise in his limited appearances this season, showcasing some of the qualities that Odegaard brings to the Gunners in terms of ball possession.

The young player has earned a chance to start at least one match during the Captain’s absence, and the encounter with Eze’s old club seems like the perfect opportunity to grant him that chance.

Eze will have his moment, but for now, he must exercise patience.