Arsenal eased to a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, with a place in the knockout rounds now assured barring a final matchday disaster against Girona.
The Gunners hit the front early on thanks to Declan Rice and were in complete control for the remainder of the night at Emirates Stadium.
Kai Havertz's 14th goal of the season extended Arsenal's lead just before the hour-mark, before captain Martin Odegaard scored his first goal from open play since April to wrap up a comfortable win.
How the game unfolded
Dinamo Zagreb were playing for the first time competitively under new head coach Fabio Cannavaro - their tenth permanent boss since April 2020 - and had just two friendlies under their belt since December 22 last year, meaning the onus was on Arsenal to make a fast start.
The Gunners didn't disappoint, putting out of their mind the surrendering of a two-goal lead against Aston Villa on Saturday to hit the front inside two minutes.
Gabriel Martinelli worked some space down the left flank and fizzed a cross into the box which was expertly cushioned by the much-maligned Havertz. Rice arrived right on cue, thrashing a superbly-controlled half volley into the bottom of Ivan Nevistic's net.
Arsenal maintained a dominance inside the first 25 minutes, without ever really threatening again, before the visitors started to come into the contest a little more - 21-year-old Martin Baturina, viewed by many as Croatia's long-term heir to Luka Modric, offering an insight into his talent on the ball.
Half-time came and went without either goalkeeper being tested again, though Arsenal had all the momentum as Dinamo struggled to keep hold of the ball in the face of an organised, intense press.
It took until 66 minutes for Arsenal to breach Dinamo's backline for a second time, registering just their third shot on target in the process. Martinelli was again the chief creator, whipping a devilish ball into the area that was begging for Havertz to rise highest and nod home. The German duly obliged, planting the ball past Nevistic to register his 14th goal of the season.
Rice should have made it three ten minutes later, but he contrived to steer Ethan Nwaneri's tremendous centre wide with his head. It mattered not for Arsenal, who bagged a third in the dying embers of the game through captain Martin Odegaard - the Norwegian turning home from close range after good work from substitute Leandro Trossard.
Arsenal now just need to avoid a disaster against Girona - as well as a string of results going against them - to automatically qualify for the knockout rounds.
Player ratings
Check out the player ratings from Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb here.
Havertz far more reliable than given credit for
The continual discourse on social media, and among pundits, is that Arsenal need to sign a predatory striker who finds the back of the net time and time again.
It's a statement that is objectively true - Arsenal do struggle to score goals on occasion and sometimes it does appear that they are lacking that killer instinct, usually associated with a striker who plays on the shoulder of the last defender.
But in Kai Havertz, who is usually tasked with getting the job done up top, they do have a really consistent performer. The German set Rice's goal up superbly and then killed the game off as a contest with his 14th goal of the season.
He's now scored more goals than Ollie Watkins, Nicolas Jackson, Rasmus Hojlund, Lautaro Martinez, and Dusan Vlahovic - a selection of some of Europe's highest-profile strikers - this season, and will most likely breach the 20-goal mark by the time the season ends.
Martinelli taking on the Saka mantle
Arsenal's build-up play has been criticised in the absence of the injured Bukayo Saka, with a lack of creativity and a reliance on set-pieces banded about.
Saka has been missed, undoubtedly, and it's not an exaggeration to say that losing their talisman has disrupted the Gunners' flow. Truth be told, that would happen to Liverpool if they lost Mohamed Salah, and has already happened to Manchester City in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne.
The good news is that Gabriel Martinelli looks to be finding form again on the left flank, seemingly re-energised and ready to take on the burden of responsibility with Martin Odegaard. An assist here was the least the Brazilian's performance deserved and it would be a surprise if there wasn't more to come in the near future.
You fear for Raheem Sterling
This felt like a night where Raheem Sterling really need to make a statement. A night to prove to Arteta he really has something to offer, a night to prove to Arteta that he deserves more minutes, and most certainly a night to prove to Arteta that 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri shouldn't be above him in the pecking order.
Unfortunately, it was not to be for the 30-year-old. Sterling's evening lasted just minutes 58 minutes, consisted of 33 touches and four dribbles, two of which were successful. He also attempted three crosses, though none found an Arsenal teammate. It was a case of same old story for the four-time Premier League winner who looked bereft of any kind of confidence.
On this evidence, there's little reason for Arteta to think Sterling can help him push Arsenal towards Premier League and potentially Champions League glory, and, cynically speaking, he's occupying a domestic-loan spot that could probably be put to better use elsewhere.
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