Five Arsenal milestones after win in Slavia Prague
Arsenal’s Champions League trip to Prague was always billed as another checkpoint in a season gathering weight and authority, yet it unfolded into a night of history layered on history.
A ruthless 3-0 win thanks to Mikel Merino‘s brace and Bukayo Saka’s first-half penalty against Slavia Prague stretched Mikel Arteta’s side’s dominance in Europe, but beyond the scoreline came milestones that will sit firmly in the club’s modern folklore.
From a record-breaking debut that rewrites UEFA history books to another chapter in Bukayo Saka’s rapid continental ascent, and from defensive feats unseen since football’s early eras, Arsenal walked off the pitch having achieved far more than qualification momentum.
This was a statement of legacy in motion, built not only on goals and control, but on records falling one after another under the Czech floodlights, as Mikel Arteta’s charge takes another step toward the dreamed climax.
5 Arsenal milestones in Slavia Prague win
1. Max Dowman youngest UCL debutant
At the age of 15 years and 308 days, Max Dowman became the youngest debutant in UEFA Champions League history, beating the previous record set by Youssoufa Moukoko of Borussia Dortmund at 16 years and 18 days.
The England U-19 international came off the bench to replace Leandro Trossard for the 17 minutes of normal time in Prague to break a record set in December 2020 during a group stage match between BVB and Zenit St. Petersburg.
Dowman was lively during his time in the pitch. Won four duels, made two recoveries, and completed one dribble as Arsenal secured a 3-0 victory to extend their perfect start in Europe.
2. Bukayo Saka multiple records
Bukayo Saka achieved multiple records in the first half of Arsenal’s victory in Slavia Prague, becoming the first to attempt 4+ shots on target in the first half of a Champions League game for the club, then converted a penalty to achieve another.
By scoring the first-half penalty, the Englishman became, the first-ever Arsenal player to score in four consecutive Champions League away games, having scored at the Bernabéu and Parc des Princes last season.
He scored away to Olympiacos in his first appearance in the competition this season, and crowned history when he broke the deadlock in Prague.
Bukayo Saka now has 12 Champions League goals, overtaking Robert Pires, who has 11 for the most goals scored in the competition for the North Londoners.
3. Eight consecutive Clean sheets
After escaping a chaotic finale without a scratch, Arsenal kept their eighth consecutive clean sheets across all competitions, their joint most, since April to October 1903.
Since Nick Woltemade’s 34th-minute header for Newcastle United at the end of September, Mikel Arteta’s charge has not conceded a goal across all competitions, which include games in the Premier League, Champions League, and Carabao Cup.
Olympiacos, West Ham United, Fulham, Atlético Madrid, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Burnley, Slavia Prague, and Sunderland have all attempted to break their resolute defence, but none have been able to beat David Raya or Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The entire squad has contributed to this sensational achievement, from Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, and others.
4. David Raya quickest to 50 clean sheets
David Raya becomes the quickest Arsenal goalkeeper to clock 50 clean sheets, needing just 110 games, completed in the club’s victory over Slavia Prague in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening.
The Spaniard has emerged as one of the best goalkeepers in the world since his initial loan move from Brentford in the summer of 2023, before it was permanently sealed a year later.
Raya has won the Premier League Golden Glove in his two full seasons at Arsenal, and is on course to win a third consecutive, having already recorded seven in 10games, at least two more than any other goalkeeper.
5. Record most consecutive wins and clean sheets
Arsenal have equaled the record for the most consecutive wins without conceding a goal by an English top-flight club, also held by Preston North End between January and September 1889 and Liverpool between January and February 1920.
The Gunners recovered from a shaky start to the season, which saw them beaten in Anfield and drop points at home to Manchester City, and have since rebounded on a run of 10 consecutive wins across all competitions.
However, Nick Woltemade’s goal for Newcastle after Mikel Arteta’s charge had beaten Port Vale and kept a clean sheet in the Carabao, stood between one and eight clean sheets during their winning run.
Nevertheless, after their victory in Prague, Arsenal equaled the record for most consecutive wins and clean sheets by an English top-flight club, and will be keen to own it outright when they visit the Stadium of Light to play Sunderland in the Premier League this weekend.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
