In a shocking turn of events, Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Lens, who managed to come back from behind and clinch a win in their first home game in the Champions League after a 20-year absence.
The Gunners, who had gone unbeaten in their previous 11 games, got off to a flying start in northern France when Gabriel Jesus scored an early goal.
However, their lead was short-lived as Adrien Thomasson equalized for Lens after David Raya’s poor pass out the back.
To make matters worse, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka had to leave the field due to an injury just five days before their much-anticipated Premier League clash with Manchester City this Sunday.
Despite the Gunners’ efforts, they failed to create too many clear-cut chances and looked off-colour throughout the game.
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With just over 20 minutes left, Sepe Wahi scored the winner for Lens, leaving Arsenal to rue their missed chances.
Although Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, and Emile Smith Rowe all came close to adding to Arsenal’s account, the Gunners dropped to second in the group standings, one point ahead of Sevilla after their draw at PSV Eindhoven.
Arsenal’s next assignment is a daunting task as they face off against the current Premier League champions, Manchester City, at Emirates Stadium.
The match is scheduled for Sunday, October 8, with kick-off at 4.30 pm.
The Gunners will need to put in a strong performance if they are to bounce back from their defeat and secure a win against the formidable Manchester City side.
