Arsenal
Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Atletico Madrid: Viktor Gyokeres Ends Drought as Gunners Demolish Simeone’s Side
Arsenal tore Atletico Madrid apart with a second-half masterclass at the Emirates, scoring four times in 13 minutes to maintain their perfect Champions League record. Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres (twice) condemned Diego Simeone to his heaviest European defeat as Arsenal secured their 100th Champions League victory in emphatic fashion.
The Standout Performers:
Viktor Gyokeres – 9/10 Eight matches without scoring is an eternity for a striker bought to lead the line. Both goals were scrappy—bundling in from close range after Gabriel’s header dropped kindly, then reacting fastest to another set-piece scramble.
These weren’t the clinical finishes Arsenal fans crave, but strikers don’t care about aesthetics when ending droughts. His hold-up play tired Atletico’s centre-backs, creating gaps for Saka and Martinelli to exploit. The weight visibly lifted when his first goal went in.
Gabriel Magalhaes – 9/10 Obliterated Jose Gimenez to meet Rice’s free-kick, powering a header that gave Oblak no chance. His timing on set pieces is supernatural—always finding space in congested penalty areas.
Contributed a second headed assist for Gyokeres’ late goal, again attacking the ball with ferocity that defenders can’t match. Defensively impeccable, marshalling Arsenal’s backline to another clean sheet while dealing with Atletico’s physical forwards comfortably.
Bukayo Saka – 8.5/10 Rinsed David Hancko so frequently the Spanish international will have nightmares for weeks. Every Arsenal attack funneled through Saka’s wing, where his combination of pace, skill, and decision-making proved unstoppable.
Hit the bar, forced saves, and constantly manufactured dangerous positions. The only reason this isn’t a perfect 10 is the lack of direct goal involvement, though his influence touched everything Arsenal created going forward.
Declan Rice – 8.5/10 His set-piece delivery has become weaponized. The free-kick for Gabriel’s opener had perfect weight and trajectory, landing exactly where defenders couldn’t reach.
Supplied another dangerous ball that led to Gyokeres’ second. Controlled midfield with ease, intercepting passes and launching Arsenal attacks with his expansive range. Atletico’s midfield couldn’t get near him.
Myles Lewis-Skelly – 8/10 The kid is special. Burst through Atletico’s midfield like they weren’t there, laying the ball perfectly for Martinelli’s finish. His defensive positioning impressed more than his attacking—reading danger early and snuffing out threats before they developed. Made one mistake getting caught high up the pitch but recovered with maturity. Calafiori should be worried.
Other Notable Performances:
Gabriel Martinelli – 8/10 Took Lewis-Skelly’s pass superbly, curling his finish beyond Oblak with conviction. That’s the Martinelli Arsenal have been waiting to see consistently—direct, decisive, and clinical.
Had another effort chalked off for tight offside earlier but kept hunting opportunities. His pace stretches defenses vertically, creating room for others even when he doesn’t score.
Eberechi Eze – 8/10 Smashed the crossbar inside five minutes with a deflected strike that deserved better. His movement between lines caused Atletico constant problems, dropping deep to collect then spinning away from markers. Still adjusting to being Arsenal’s creative hub without Odegaard, but his technical security under pressure is excellent. Faded before being hooked after 72 minutes.
Martin Zubimendi – 8/10 Mopped up everything in midfield, positioning himself perfectly to intercept passes and shield the backline. Big-game performances are becoming routine for him—the occasion never seems too large. His tactical discipline allowed Rice to push forward more aggressively. Withdrawn at 4-0 with the job done completely.
David Raya – 6/10 Nearly gifted Atletico a goal by charging outside his area unnecessarily in the first half, showing the occasional rashness that creeps into his game.
David Raya with the save pic.twitter.com/PHcBDzFgSj
— Josh (@SeanSteady1) October 21, 2025
Made a sharp save from Conor Gallagher late on to preserve the clean sheet, displaying the concentration required when barely tested. Otherwise a spectator for long periods.
Jurrien Timber – 7/10 Linked well with Saka down the right without reaching the heights of recent performances. Solid defensively when tested but couldn’t impose himself offensively as much as usual. Still contributed to another clean sheet with intelligent positioning.
William Saliba – 7/10 Handled Atletico’s physicality effortlessly, though gave away several needless fouls. His recovery pace bailed Arsenal out on the rare occasions Atletico threatened behind. Comfortable evening for Arsenal’s defensive rock.
Substitutes:
Ethan Nwaneri – 6.5/10 Replaced Eze with 18 minutes left and showed glimpses of his talent without significantly impacting proceedings. The game was already won.
Christian Norgaard – 6/10 Came on for Zubimendi to close out the match. Did his job without fuss.
Cristhian Mosquera – 7.5/10 Replaced Gabriel to give him a breather while maintaining defensive solidity. Arsenal’s depth allowing such substitutions at 4-0 demonstrates their squad strength.
Read More: Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Fulham: Leandro Trossard Ends Craven Cottage Curse With Scrappy Winner
Arsenal Women look to strengthen their Champions League qualification hopes when they host FC Twente at Meadow Park on Tuesday night.
The defending champions sit tenth in the league phase standings with six points from four matches and need victory to maintain realistic hopes of finishing in the automatic top-four qualification spots.
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT, Tuesday, December 10, 2025
Venue: Meadow Park (Mangata Developments Stadium)
TV: Disney+ (UK)
Form Guide
Arsenal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool on Saturday, with Stina Blackstenius netting an 87th-minute winner after Olivia Smith’s opener was cancelled out by Beata Olsson. The result extended their unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions and marked their fifth WSL win of the season.
In Champions League action, the Gunners beat Real Madrid 2-1 on November 20 after coming from behind through Alessia Russo’s second-half brace. However, they lost their opening two home European games at Meadow Park against Lyon (0-1) and claimed a 2-0 away victory at Benfica between those fixtures.
Twente remain winless in the Champions League with just two points from four matches, sitting 14th and two points outside the playoff places. They drew 1-1 with Chelsea and Benfica but suffered defeats to OH Leuven (1-2) and Atletico Madrid (0-4). Despite their European struggles, Twente top the Vrouwen Eredivisie unbeaten with seven wins and one draw from eight matches.
Team News
Arsenal will be without Daphne van Domselaar (quad), Chloe Kelly (knee), Manuela Zinsberger (ACL) and Katie Reid (ACL). Anneke Borbe made her Arsenal debut against Liverpool and will earn her first Champions League start for the club on Tuesday.
Leah Williamson is available for limited minutes as she continues her comeback from the knee injury sustained at Euro 2025. Kim Little requires careful management after recent calf problems, with Renée Slegers describing it as “a loading issue.”
Twente have former Arsenal midfielder Jill Roord in their squad after she surprisingly joined from Manchester City during the summer, citing a desire to rekindle her love for football by returning home.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Borbe; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Cooney-Cross, Little; Foord, Maanum, Blackstenius; Russo
Twente (4-3-3): Lemey; Stroot, Oudejans, Pijpers, Oude Elberink; Groenewegen, Andradóttir, Pelova; Proost, Van de Velde, Roord
Also read: News of Unrest Engulfs Arsenal Women Camp – Manager Renee Slegers Clarifies
Renee Slegers has strongly denied reports of splits and player power issues within the Arsenal Women camp, insisting the reigning Champions League winners remain united despite sitting eight points behind WSL leaders Manchester City.
The Athletic published a damaging report during the international break, alleging divisions in the Gunners’ dressing room and dissent over player influence.
Slegers addressed the claims head-on during Friday’s press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with bottom-placed Liverpool.
“There Will Be Noise” – Renee Slegers Hits Back at Dressing Room Unrest Reports as Arsenal Face Liverpool
“We won the Champions League, historically Arsenal has been the most successful team in England,” Slegers fired back. “There will be noise, there is noise. That’s all on the outside. We know what we’re doing on the inside.”
High-Performance Environment Creates Challenges
The Arsenal boss acknowledged the demands of elite football while defending her squad’s mentality. “It’s a high-performance environment so it’s a very challenging environment, we demand a lot of things from each other and it should be like that,” she explained.
“Every group of people will have things that they have to manage and get through. I am very positive about where we are at. We’re in a process, I believe in the process and we’re going in a really good direction.”
Slegers expressed frustration at the timing and nature of the report. “It’s unfortunate that is what’s written about us when we’re doing so many good things.”
Williamson Returns as Injury Crisis Continues
Arsenal will be without goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and England winger Chloe Kelly for Saturday’s noon kick-off, meaning summer signing Anneke Borbe will make her debut between the posts.
However, there’s positive news with the return of England captain Leah Williamson, who makes her first appearance this season after being sidelined with a knee injury since the European Championship. Midfielder Kim Little is also available again.
“Leah has a presence, which sometimes even without speaking it sets standards and creates a certain environment,” Slegers said. “It will be really, really good to have her back. It’s such a win for the team.”
Liverpool held Chelsea to a draw last month despite sitting bottom of the table, suggesting Saturday’s fixture at the Emirates Stadium won’t be straightforward for an Arsenal side desperately needing to close the gap on City.
Also read: Arsenal Women vs. Liverpool Women: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
Arsenal Dragon
Renee Slegers Confirms The Position Arsenal Women Are Looking To Sign a Player From in January Transfer Window
Renee Slegers has confirmed Arsenal will sign a goalkeeper in January after revealing Daphne van Domselaar will miss the remainder of 2025 with a quad tendon issue, leaving the club relying on debutant Anneke Borbe and teenager Amy Liddiard.
The Arsenal boss made the admission during Friday’s press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with Liverpool, where summer signing Borbe will make her full debut with 17-year-old Liddiard providing backup from the bench.
Van Domselaar requires an injection for her quad tendon problem and won’t return until the new year, compounding Arsenal’s goalkeeper crisis. Manuela Zinsberger is already out for the season after rupturing her ACL in October, one of 17 players across the WSL to suffer knee injuries during that month alone.
“We Need Three Goalkeepers Available”
Asked directly if Arsenal want to sign a goalkeeper in January, Slegers didn’t hesitate. “Yes, definitely, because Manu is out and Daphne has been managing issues, so we’re definitely looking,” she said.
“We’re definitely looking at that position because we think we need a really strong goalkeeper union with three goalkeepers available and we’re not in that situation at the moment so we’ll have to solve that for the second half of the season.”
Arsenal have also been linked with Swedish right-back Smilla Holmberg as they look to strengthen multiple positions during the winter window.
Chloe Kelly Adds to Injury Woes
The goalkeeper situation isn’t Arsenal’s only injury concern for Saturday’s noon kick-off. Chloe Kelly suffered a knee injury on England duty against Ghana on Tuesday and will miss the Liverpool match. Like van Domselaar, Kelly could be unavailable until the new year.
Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang (on loan at Brighton) have also suffered season-ending ACL injuries this campaign, highlighting the brutal injury toll Arsenal have endured.
Slegers Dismisses Dressing Room “Unrest” Reports
Slegers was also asked about The Athletic’s report claiming the dressing room has been “splintered for many years” with some players “wielding significant influence” and underlying tension between squad members.
The Arsenal boss firmly rejected the narrative. “We won the Champions League, historically we are the most successful club in England, there is noise on the outside, there will always be noise, but on the inside we know what we are doing,” she responded.
“I didn’t agree with it and I think it is unfortunate that this is what is written about us while we are doing so many good things and a lot of people invested in the process.”
Also read: Arsenal Women vs. Liverpool Women: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
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