Declan Rice says he was ‘annoyed’ despite scoring his first ever Champions League goal in Arsenal ’s win over Dinamo Zagreb. The Gunners cruised to victory at the Emirates Stadium to put themselves in a great position to qualify for the last 16 stage and avoid two extra play-off fixtures next month.

Arsenal all but secured a top-eight finish in the UEFA Champions League with a comfortable 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.

Arsenal are almost guaranteed a spot in the Champions League round of 16 and a bye from the play-offs but Mikel Arteta joked he was still struggling with the permutations

MIKEL ARTETA’S wannabe Samba boys have all but guaranteed themselves a Champions League knock-out spot – and maybe some winter sunshine next month. Arsenal boss Arteta had his squad train with

Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard both scored on Wednesday and Arsenal do need an uplift in goals from that area of the pitch

They did not, though, and instead Arsenal cruised their way to a victory that should guarantee them a top-fight finish in this new Champions League format. Arsenal are currently third in the league phase and only a freak set of circumstances would see them fall out of the top eight after next week’s final game in Girona.

Injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka have weakened an already under-performing front-line - at least for the most part - and Arteta will now be forced into the market. One pl

Arsenal are hoping to bring in a striker before the end of the January transfer window with the Gunners yet to make any additions this month