Arsenal participant scores vs Como: Mikel Arteta despatched message by 8/10 star’s show

Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Como but Mikel Arteta’s side did claim victory on penalties as one star sent the Spaniard a statement about his future

Arsenal faced another stern examination during pre-season as Como managed to secure a 1-1 draw. The Gunners were comfortably the superior outfit but failed to translate their dominance into goals.

Gabriel Jesus struck the woodwork in the early stages after Eberechi Eze capitalised on an error to present him with what seemed a certain goal, yet he was unable to find the net. Arsenal did manage to break the deadlock, however, following a defensive blunder as a wayward clearance was picked off by Myles Lewis-Skelly who made no error, though it was his celebration that delivered a clear indication of where his loyalties lie.

Martin Baturina restored parity for Como after a superb display of technique to bypass Theo Julienne and Max Dowman before thundering home the leveller. Arsenal controlled the second period with Como scarcely threatening, but opportunity after opportunity went begging without troubling the goalkeeper.

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David Raya denied two spot-kicks in the shootout while Noni Madueke fluffed his lines, striking the upright. The Gunners prevailed but not within regulation time. Here, the Daily Star Sport rates the Arsenal players.

Kepa Arrizabalaga – Could do very little about the goal, and did make a good save in the first half, a low show to his left. 6 .

Theo Julienne – A great opportunity for the youngster to play more than a half of football at senior level. Yes he was beaten easy by some great skill for the Como goal, but he did not look out of place at all. 5

Marli Salmon – An exceptionally mature and commanding display from the young centre-back. Robust, calm and intelligent in his approach, particularly when dealing with pressure while in possession. 8 .

Gabriel – Took a knock and was withdrawn at the interval with the Community Shield in mind. A handful of decent defensive interventions and blocks. 6 .

Piero Hincapie – Steady showing from the Ecuadorian, rarely troubled down Arsenal’s left flank. 6 .

Myles Lewis-Skelly – During a 48-hour spell where it emerged both Chelsea and Manchester United had been contacted regarding the 19-year-old’s signature, this strike represented a significant moment and opportunity to make a statement. He certainly did that, with his celebration leaving no doubt where his loyalties lie with Arsenal. His display beyond the well-taken and opportunistic finish was equally impressive, his finest of the summer campaign. 8 .

Eberechi Eze – Appeared remarkably sharp given he’d only recently returned to training. Encouraging touches and distribution suggest positive signs for the attacking midfielder. 7 .

Ethan Nwaneri – The most impressive we’ve witnessed him this summer, the 18 year old appeared lively and menacing, fashioning multiple opportunities, including a couple with some clever flicks. 7 .

Max Dowman – Remained a constant menace as expected, cutting infield, though perhaps needs to distribute possession slightly earlier than he’d ideally like. 6 .

Gabriel Jesus – The opening major opportunity fell to the Brazilian following a defensive error from Como, with virtually an empty net to target, he somehow struck the woodwork. Was afforded just a disappointing 31 minutes before his substitution. 4

Gabriel Martinelli – He offered little menace in his display, with the backdrop of a reported bid from Galatasaray too. 5 .

Substitutes:

Viktor Gyokeres – Was forceful in attack, receiving the through balls he can flourish with but couldn’t transform the possession into a clear-cut opportunity. 6 .

Fabio Vieira – Should have buried the one-on-one chance created by Martin Odegaard. 4 .

Martin Odegaard – Instantly delivered the defence-splitting passes, one of which ought to have been converted by Fabio Vieira. 7 .

Cristhian Mosquera – Still appears unsettled amid speculation Arsenal seem to be returning for Ezri Konsa. 5 .

Bruno Guimaraes – Plenty of praise for the debutant, with a couple of robust tackles and tidy passes. Produced a superb interception at the death too. 7 .

David Raya – The backline appeared more assured simply with his presence. Was sharp to some loose balls he needed to handle and produced a fine save low down from a Caballo effort and late on replicated the feat with an even superior stop. He also made two saves in the shootout. 8 .

Riccardo Calafiori – Some solid defensive contributions with some aerial challenges. As typical was advancing very high up the pitch to participate in the build-up play. 5 .

Ben White – Not as impressive as in recent matches, getting spun a couple of times, but likely to feature still on Sunday. 5 .

Kai Havertz – Opportunity on the turn outside the area, but dragged his effort wide of the Como goal. 5

Mikel Merino – Entered the fray to feature in midfield and certainly needs additional playing time to regain his sharpness. 5 .

Christos Tzolis – It appears Arsenal have discovered another set-piece specialist as the Greek’s deliveries were superb. 6 .

Josh Ogunnaike – Introduced too late in proceedings to assess. n/a.