LISBON (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was looking for a statement win from his side on Tuesday and got it as they brushed aside in-form Sporting Lisbon with a superb display in a 5-1 away Champions League victory.
Arteta praised his team’s intelligent use of the ball and their tenacity against a Sporting team that beat Manchester City 4-1 in their previous Champions League outing and had won 17 of their previous 18 games in all competitions.
"I’m very happy, it is a big result against a big opponent," Arteta said. "We wanted to make a statement. I felt a really good energy before the match, but you have to put it into practice.
"The first half was exceptional and gave us the platform to win the game. We were really clever and efficient in the way we attacked them. It is an important win for us."
Arsenal looked untouchable in the first half as they went into the break 3-0 up, but a goal early in the second period for Sporting changed the mood in the stadium until Bukayo Saka scored a fourth to swing the momentum their way once more.
"The atmosphere was changing (when Sporting scored), they had belief, but after that we showed our personality to get on the ball again, to defend deeper if we needed to and the fourth goal changed it again," Arteta said.
"We have to enjoy it, playing in this competition against these sorts of team. I was pleased with how the performance flowed."
Arsenal had been in a mini-slump of three games without a win before a 3-0 win over high-flying Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this past weekend.
Backing up a victory with another dominant display is something they will have to do all season long if they are to be successful, according to Arteta.
"We need the consistency, if you want to be going for championships then you have to win and win again. Today was a different type of game but we handled it well and let's move on now," he said.
Arsenal are next in action on Saturday when they travel to West Ham United in the Premier League.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
