MIKEL ARTETA’s Arsenal finally got their first win of the Premier League season.
Club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal of the game, albeit scrappy.
The three points lift the Gunners up out of the bottom three and into 16th.
Norwich remain winless and sit rock bottom, but showed some encouraging signs on the counter attack.
Here’s what SunSport’s Joshua Mbu thought of the Gunners’ performance.
Aaron Ramsdale – 7
Aaron Ramsdale had a solid first showing starting for Arsenal in the Premier League.
He wasn’t called into action much, but when he was he was flawless.
There’s a lot of pressure on the young goalkeeper to oust Bernd Leno and take the starting jersey.
And he’s got off to a good start.
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Takehiro Tomiyasu – 6 (subbed 62 min)
The deadline-day signing Takehiro Tomiyasu didn’t put a foot wrong for the Gunners.
But at the same time, he didn’t set the Emirates alight. Solid debut.
Ben White – 6
Ben White put in a solid performance this afternoon for the Gunners.
But at times struggled to deal with Teemu Pukki’s runs into the channels.
Will take time for him to form a solid partnership with Gabriel.
Gabriel – 6
Much like White, put in a solid performance.
Missed an easy clearance in the second half leading to a Max Aarons shot, but luckily for the centre-back, the right-back missed.
Kieran Tierney – 6
He was a reliable runner up and down the left channel.
Linked up well with Bukayo Saka and tried to get crosses into the penalty area. Solid as always.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 6 (subbed 82 mins)
The midfielder started fresh off the back of his public plea to leave the club to go somewhere he was ‘wanted’.
He showed some tidy touches and played some forward-thinking passes.
But didn’t really have an effect on the game.
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 6 (subbed 62 mins)
The Belgian put in another solid midfield performance for the Gunners.
Showed some nice touches, but was pulled off after 62 minutes for midfield main man Thomas Partey.
Martin Odegaard – 6
The summer arrival didn’t really have a big impact on the game for the Gunners.
Showed some nice touches at times, but didn’t do enough.
Bukayo Saka – 7
Always lively, always looking to take on his man.
Was unlucky not to get a goal in the final minutes, curling a shot just wide of the far post.
One of the first names on Arteta’s teamsheet.
Nicolas Pepe – 7
The winger showed his quality this afternoon.
He was taking on his man, trying to create and get shots off of his own.
Was unlucky to see two efforts bounce off the post in a matter of seconds, but the ball then fell to Aubameyang who tapped the winner home.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 7
The club captain got Arsenal’s first Premier League goal of the season to seal three points.
Played his role in the build-up to chances and enjoyed drifting wide.
Caused Norwich captain Grant Hanley problems all afternoon.
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Thomas Partey (replaced Lokonga) – 6
Returning from injury and got some valuable minutes under his belt.
Will most likely come back into Arteta’s starting side next time out, alongside Lokonga.
Cedric (replaced Maitland-Niles) – N/A
Got given ten minutes, not enough to make his mark.
Emile Smith Rowe (replaced Tomiyasu) – 6
The second-half substitute was bright and direct for the Gunners.
Was unlucky not to score late on, he was denied brilliantly by Tim Krul.
Will face a fight to reclaim a spot in Arteta’s starting line-up.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
