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Arsenal qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2020-21 UEFA Europa League despite losing 0-1 to Olympiakos in the second leg at the Emirates. The Gunners' 3-1 win in the first leg proved pivotal, as Youssef El-Arabi's winner on the night for the Greek champions went in vain.
Arsenal began the first half looking to keep Olympiakos at bay in the opening exchanges. Nevertheless, Nicolas Pepe, Youssef El-Arabi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all spurned gilt-edged chances to score as the first half ended goalless.
Olympiakos began the second half in superb fashion, with El-Arabi giving the visitors a 1-0 lead with a lovely curling strike in the 51st minute. An increasingly nervy Arsenal side continued to cede possession to the visitors, who needed another goal to advance on away goals.
Pepe and Aubameyang missed two great chances to equalise for Arsenal, but the Gunners eventually held on for an aggregate win.
On that note, let's have a look at five major talking points from the game:
#1 Arsenal's profligacy almost comes back to haunt them
It was a blessing that Arsenal won the away leg 3-1. Had the Gunners needed a goal at any stage of this contest, Mikel Arteta would surely have been tearing his hair out.
Nicolas Pepe and Emile Smith-Rowe were guilty of spurning a couple of great chances, with the latter even blocking his teammate's goal-bound shot, albeit inadvertently.
However, it was the Arsenal captain who was the most culpable. Aubameyang missed a one-on-one chance that he normally buries, while also watching his impudent flick off Gabriel Martinelli's cross saved in the final moments of the game.
The Gabonese forward occupied the headlines for his disciplinary issues over the weekend. But he will be thankful that Arsenal had already done enough to progress despite defeat on the night.
#2 Olympiakos are the Emirates specialists
Ever since the Emirates stadium was inaugurated in 2006, only two away teams have managed to win there thrice. One of those teams is Bayern Munich, which is expected, considering the Bavarians' stranglehold over Arsene Wenger's sides.
It's frankly amazing that Olympiakos are the other team - they have more wins in Arsenal's home ground than the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Pedro Martins may have lost the tie, but he can take plenty of pride from the manner in which his team performed. Youssef El-Arabi was a constant thorn in Arsenal's side, and on another night, fortune might have smiled on Olympiacos.
Olympiakos were eventually left to rue their first-leg result, as their European adventure this season comes to an end. They have pretty much wrapped up the league title already, so they can look forward to a restful summer now.
#3 Arsenal's defensive issues continue
It's perhaps petty to be critical of Arsenal on a night when they progressed. But Mikel Arteta will be looking at the state of his defence with increasing concern.
The Gunners, thankfully, did not shoot themselves in the foot on the night, but will nonetheless be disappointed in the manner of the goal conceded.
There was no pressure on El-Arabi as he struck his shot, which is surely not the instructions Mikel Arteta would have given his defence prior to the match.
Yet, the Gunners boss must take a bit of the blame, as his tactical set-up invited pressure on the Arsenal backline, with Granit Xhaka frequently dropping back to form a back-three.
Regardless of their progress, there remains plenty to improve for Arsenal on the defensive front.
#4 Gabriel Martinelli deserves a chance
The pre-match chatter surrounding Gabriel Martinelli's lack of playing time resulted in Mikel Arteta considering himself 'at fault' for not offering the youngster more game-time. On the evidence of his performance against Olympiacos, the Spaniard has made a case for himself to play more regularly.
While Arsenal's forwards were profligate, there also existed an air of ambivalence about them on the night. There was no such attitude on display when Martinelli came on; the youngster spent his precious few minutes on the pitch full of energetic pressing and direct running.
He ought to have finished with an assist, but Aubameyang conspired to miss. As Arsenal go deeper in the UEFA Europa League this season, perhaps Martinelli will get his just rewards as the games come thick and fast.
#5 Arsenal will not win the UEFA Europa League with such performances
Mikel Arteta already has two trophies in the bag for Arsenal as a manager. Those triumphs came as a result of a team that was excellent with their backs to the wall and able to grind out wins from defensive performances.
Those sort of displays are perfect in Europe. Although Arsenal appeared to have set up to defend on the night, they looked far from a cohesive unit. The tactics may have been correct, in hindsight, given Arsenal fashioned their fair share of chances on the counter.
Yet, it was the attitude that ought to concern the Arsenal manager. A complacent air ran throughout the team, who cannot afford a repeat of this performance. Do so, and the UEFA Europa League dream will certainly come to an end pretty quickly.
