Arsenal earned a 2-0 win over AC Milan at San Siro to take a commanding lead into next week’s Europa League last-16 return leg.
The Gunners headed to Italy on the back of their worst run of form in 16 years, losing each of their last four, but they produced a professional performance to come away victorious.
Chief playmaker Mesut Ozil played a direct part in both first-half goals, setting up Henrikh Mkhitaryan and then Aaron Ramsey as Arsenal put a half to their opponents’ 13-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
All either side had to show for the end-to-end battle were wayward shots from Patrick Cutrone and Henrikh Mkhitaryan into the side-netting, before the Armenian international made a more telling impact on the game 15 minutes in.
After controlling the ball with his chest and cutting on to his right foot, Mkhitaryan powered a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma via a telling touch on its way through.
Then came a big moment in the tie as moments after Mkhitaryan had clipped the crossbar in a near-replica of his first goal, Mesut Ozil slotted through Aaron Ramsey for the Welshman to round Donnarumma and roll the ball into an unguarded net.
Without a game in eight days due to the postponement of the Milan derby last weekend, an unchanged Rossoneri side were unable to put their freshness to good use.
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