'You want to be challenging for big things?' - Mikel Arteta issues ultimatum to Arsenal players after tearing apart Sporting CP in statement Champions League win

Arteta had called on his team to prove their mettle after a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Inter in their previous Champions League outing and his players rose to the occasion in Lisbon. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard propelled the Gunners to a decisive 5-1 victory which was a marked turnaround from their recent away form.

This dominant Champions League result comes on the back of an equally impressive 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League just days earlier. The win ended a remarkable run for Sporting CP, who had remained unbeaten across 18 matches this season, including 17 wins and a draw.

Speaking after the match to TNT Sports, Arteta said: "That's what we need to do. We need to find consistency. You want to be challenging for the big things? You have to be consistent. Win and win again. Today was a very different game but we reacted really well, let's move on now."

When asked if this was Arsenal’s best away European performance under his management, Arteta didn’t hesitate: "Absolutely. Especially against a team that hasn’t lost at home in 18 months. They’ve been in incredible form, better than everyone they’ve faced here. To perform like that against them is very satisfying."

Arsenal’s next test comes on November 30 when they travel to face a resilient West Ham side in the Premier League. With momentum on their side, the Gunners will aim to keep the winning streak alive and close the gap on the title race as they currently find themselves nine points behind leaders Liverpool in the standings.