Arsenal responded to falling two down and being reduced to 10 men, to score the vital away goal in a 2-1 defeat to Villarreal in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final. Goals from Maniel Trigueros and Raul Albiol had the Spaniards in complete control, before Dani Ceballos was dismissed for picking up two yellows.
The Gunners bounced back and scored their goal from a Nicolas Pepe penalty. The tie remains in the balance, but there were a number of performances that will have left Mikel Arteta less than impressed.
Dani Ceballos
It’s difficult to lay the blame at the feet of one player, but Ceballos’ first-half showing, twinned with his red card after the break, means he is a prime candidate for such a dishonour.
The Real Madrid loanee looked leggy in midfield and Arteta admitted that he ignored instructions at the interval to keep composed, after picking up a caution in the opening 45.
"Obviously we talked at half time that you have to be careful," said Arteta on the coversation he had with his players at half-time.
"There was already a tackle very early, I was going to take him off but by the time Gabi was ready to come on that action happened and he was out."
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Ceballos failed to heed Arteta's half-time warning and was dismissed shortly after the break (Image: GETTY)
But it wasn’t all bad news, three players did make crucial contributions to keep the tie alive.
Bernd Leno
The German was at no fault for either goal and with the score at 2-0 Leno made a save that kept Arsenal in the game – and the tie.
It was by no means a perfect display from the Gunners No.1, but after his embarrassing mishap against Everton, he earned some plaudits this time around.
Bukayo Saka
It’s now little surprise that Bukayo Saka is the man, that when all is breaking down around him, he drags Arsenal back to his elite level.
Saka ran at Villarreal all night and it was he that won the penalty that gives the Gunners a chance to progress to next month’s final in Gdansk.
Quite simply, he is irreplacable.
Pepe kept his cool from the spot to score Arsenal's vital away goal (Image: GETTY)
Pepe had more extra motivation than most in coming up against Unai Emery.
The former Arsenal boss went public about his beliefs regarding the winger’s signing, suggesting he would have preferred to sign Wilfried Zaha.
But on a night where he was the senior man in Arteta’s attack, he provided the cool touch to score the all-important away goal.
Following the penalty, Pepe also showed his determination to turn the game around, when shrugging off a celebrating Xhaka in order to quickly kick-off again.