6 - 0! Arsenal Won West Brom With 6 - 0!

If it was an indignity for Arsenal to enter the EFL Cup at this early stage because of their absence from European competition, they booked their passage to the next round by showing true class. Against a Championship club’s reserves, admittedly, but this was a demonstration from which Mikel Arteta and his team can take heart.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a hat-trick on his first start of the season, and Nicolas Pépé, Bukayo Saka and Alexandre Lacazette also netted in a match in which the visitors threatened to score nearly every time they attacked. Now all they have to do is play like this regularly against stronger opponents. Then trust will grow in Arsenal’s players and Arteta’s process.

Arsenal quashed their hosts’ resistance before the break with two goals in two minutes. Aubameyang made it 2-0 by tapping in another rebound, this time after Pépé fired against the post after being sent through by Mohamed Elneny. Palmer denied Aubameyang a hat-trick moments later after more sharp play by Saka, but the Gabonese striker acrobatically put the rebound into the path of Pépé, who nudged it into the net.

Arsenal’s hunger was unsated. They extended their lead four minutes after the resumption with a wonderful goal. Saka skittered down the left before cutting in-field and feeding Ødegaard and continuing his run. Ødegaard returned the ball to him with a delicious reverse flick, and Saka finished emphatically. Aubameyang produced an even better finish to complete his hat-trick. After Ainsley Maitland-Niles gave him the ball at the left-hand corner of the box, the striker curled an elegant shot beyond the keeper and into the far corner of the net.

Arsenal kept coming. Pépé sent a lob on to the crossbar after being released by the substitute Lacazette. One minute later Pépé turned provider and Lacazette showed him how to finish, lashing a low shot into the net from 12 yards.

Final Score: Arsenal 6 - 0 West Brom