Forward Theo Walcott claims Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Bayern Munich will have sent a clear message to their rivals that the Gunners mean business this season.
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The runaway Bundesliga league leaders were defeated 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night to give Arsene Wenger’s men their first European win and keep alive hopes of qualification for the knockout stages.
It was a third straight victory for Arsenal, who impressed in beating both Manchester United and Watford, with the north London club now second in the Premier League table, just two points behind Manchester City.
Walcott feels inflicting a first defeat of the campaign on Pep Guardiola’s side will serve as a warning of Arsenal’s intentions.
“You play against the best in the Champions League, Bayern are a top, top class team, but we showed our class,” said the England international.
“The confidence is just flowing through the team at the moment, you can see that. Results show that and if we continue this you never now where it is going to take us, but we are looking really strong.
“That is what we want, we want to put out a message and (the result on) Tuesday night can hopefully show that. But this result can’t just be a one-off. We need to keep on doing it.
“However we have still got a lot to do (to qualify) and won’t get ahead of ourselves because our focus now is on the Premier League.”
Brilliant performance by Arsenal last night. But we’re still bottom of the group, so let’s keep the ticker-tape parade on hold for now. afc
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 21, 2015
Walcott added: “That (next Champions League tie in Munich) is a long way ahead, there are a lot of games coming up before that game, but again we believe we can beat anyone. If we beat Bayern, we can beat anyone.”
Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer pulled off a remarkable first-half save from Walcott’s point-blank header, but was eventually beaten when he failed to collect a deep free-kick as substitute Olivier Giroud headed into an empty net before Mesut Ozil added a second in stoppage time.
Veteran Arsenal stopper Petr Cech also made some crucial saves and Walcott is in no doubt of what the 33-year-old, signed from Chelsea in the summer, brings to the group.
“There have been a lot of topquality goalkeepers, but the calibre he has brought to this club, and what he does off the pitch as well, which you guys don’t see, just everything is just perfect,” he said.
