Lacazette at the double as Arsenal cruise to win over PSG

Arsenal cruised to a 5-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in Singapore.

Unai Emery picked a strong side, with the new Arsenal boss facing his former employers, while his replacement Thomas Tuchel fielded a severely weakened team.

Tuchel had to choose from players who did not attend the World Cup, like Gianluigi Buffon, Adrian Rabiot, and Lassana Diarra, with the rest of the side made up of youngsters.

Mesut Ozil grabbed the first goal of the game with a smart finish from a counter-attack, but Arsenal missed a string of chances before the half-time whistle.

On the hour mark, Arsenal paid for their profligacy when Christopher Nkunku converted a penalty after Timothy Weah was brought down by a witless Sead Kolasinac challenge.

Emile Smith-Rowe impressed again, on as a sub, when he curled in a cross for Alexandre Lacazette to meet at the first post and beat Buffon. Lacazette nodded home another a couple of minutes later, before the game ended with countless substitutions. Edward Nketiah rounded off the win late on.

Will Emile Smith-Rowe progress? An excellent cross for Alexandre Lacazatte gave Arsenal their second after he already impressed in his previous appearance. Just 18, he will probably stay on the sidelines but he has earned the chance to show how much talent he has.

Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal): At just 19, he has the chance to establish himself in the team before the World Cup stars return to full fitness. He is heavy in the tackle but doesn’t seem especially dirty, and seems happy to seek out the ball from senior players. He could grow into an important figure.

Arsenal: Leno 7, Bellerin 5, Sokratis 5, Mustafi 5, Kolasinac 5, Guendouzi 7, Elneny 6, Ozil 7, Mkhitaryan 5, Iwobi 6, Aubameyang 6. Subs: Martinez 7, Lacazette 7, Ramsay 6, Chambers 6, Nketiah 6, Holding 7, Smith-Rowe 7, Nelson 6, Willock 6, Maitland-Niles 6.

PSG: Buffon 7, Rimane 6, Georgen 6, Nsoki 6, Mbe Soh 6, Toufiqi 6, Bernede 6, Diarra 5, Rabiot 5, Nkunku 7, Weah 7. Subs: Lo Celso 7, Bahebeck 6, Zagre 6, Cibois 7, Sissako 6, Postolachi 6, Fressange 6.

13’ - GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 PSG. Ozil scores - Aubameyang latches onto a through-ball down the inside right, with miles of space behind the defence. He clips a pass across to Ozil to slot past Buffon with a simple touch.

23’ - IWOBI CHANCE - Iwobi this time is set free down the left, as Ozil sends teh ball ahead of him. He tries to bend the ball around Buffon but he puts it behind for a corner.

29’ - BUFFON SAVE - Aubameyang jogs onto a long ball, stands up his marker, and whacks a left-footed shot that Buffon can palm away. A waste from the striker.

58’ - PENALTY! Weah skids into the box around the outside, and Kolasinac slides in to bring him down. Obvious.

59’ - GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 PSG. Nkunku scores - From the spot, he clips the ball left as Martinez guesses to the right.

67’ - GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 PSG. Lacazette scores - Smith-Rowe has room on the right wing, quickly curls it into Lacazette's run at the near post, and he finishes past Buffon.

71’ - GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 PSG. Lacazette scores - Another one. A Kolasinac cross is headed back across goal, and Lacazatte is on hand to nod past a stranded Buffon.

87' - GOAL! Arsenal 4-1 PSG. Holding scores - A corner from the right finds Holding just inside the box, and he loops a brilliant header into the corner.

90+4' - GOAL! Arsenal 5-1 PSG. Nketiah scores - with the final touch of the game, Nketiah strides towards goal and fizzes a shot past Cibois.