Arsenal slipped to a first defeat of the season in the Champions League at Lens despite taking the lead through Gabriel Jesus. However, a mistake from goalkeeper David Raya allowed the hosts to equalise before the Gunners suffered another blow when Bukayo Saka limped off injured.
The visitors struggled for attacking inspiration without their talisman on the field, something Lens sensed as the game wore on and which offered the hosts encouragement to attack. It was little surprise, then, when the impressive Elye Wahi fired Lens ahead with just over 20 minutes left to play.
Mikel Arteta responded by throwing on Ben White, Emile Smith Rowe, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah, but Arsenal's patient probing came to very little and Lens held on comfortably for a deserved three points in their first Champions League home game for more than 20 years.
Bukayo Saka started Arsenal’s Champions League visit to Lens with a great moment but his day quickly turned sour in France.
The England star, 22, assisted Gabriel Jesus’ 14th-minute goal but only played another 20 minutes after limping off the Estadio Bollaert-Delelis pitch on Tuesday.
And Mikel Arteta says it’s unclear whether Saka will be available against Man City at this weekend, and he doesn’t know how long the player could be out of the lineup.
"Beating Arsenal in the Champions League will surely stay in our memories," Lens coach Franck Haise told a press conference.
"Elye is a young player, he only joined a month and a half ago, he's making big strides."
Mikel Arteta, who had to cope with Bukayo Saka's early injury substitution, said: "The difference between today and PSV [when his side won 4-0] was in the boxes.
"There were moments in the second half we could have been more efficient. We took a big lesson today."
Asked whether he had any regrets starting Saka given his recent fitness problems, Arteta replied: "No, it was a knock that he had the other day. He was perfectly fine. It was an action, a backheel, that can produce that type of injury. Let's see what the extent of it is.
"The last few were more knocks than anything else. He hasn't really missed games. We gave him a break against Brentford last week and that was all."
Arsenal remain on three points in Group B and Arteta added: "I painted a picture and the type of scenario we were going to face today and they all knew about it. But this Champions League is so difficult to win away from home. Today we take a big lesson."
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