Arsenal have finished top of Champions League Group A after a 4-1 victory over FC Basel saw them leapfrog Paris Saint-Germain following the French champions' dramatic 2-2 home draw with Ludogorets Razgrad.
Arsene Wenger’s side entered Tuesday's contest knowing that the only way win Group A would be to capitalise on a potential PSG slip-up given the French giants' superior head-to-head away goals record in the group stages.
With top spot theoretically providing them with an easier draw against a runner-up in the last 16, Arsenal will be full of confidence heading into the knockout stages as Lucas Perez's hat-trick in Switzerland saw the Gunners top the group as PSG were held to a shock Parc des Princes draw by minnows Ludogorets.
The Gunners have been eliminated at the round of 16 in each of the last six years, having not topped their group since 2011, when they were knocked out by AC Milan. The likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona have also been on hand to send Arsenal crashing out of Europe early in the new year.
Arsenal will be London’s only Champions League representatives in the last 16 after Tottenham were eliminated.
