Arsenal 4 Vorskla 2: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finds scoring touch as Gunners saunter to Europa League win

A brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and goals from Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil ensured Arsenal’s first European game under Unai Emery was won at a canter, 4-2 over Vorskla Poltava.

Emery had won the competition three times in a row with Sevilla and has a squad capable of repeating that feat this season, though for the time being his focus is clearly on the Premier League, as indicated by the resting of Granit Xhaka, Hector Bellerin and Alexandre Lacazette.

Still Emery’s side was an impressive one. Summer signings Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno and Stephan Lichtsteiner all started for the first time this season with Aubameyang leading the line and Mesut Ozil providing support off the bench.

A visit from Ukraine’s third best side couldn’t draw much of a crowd to the Emirates, as empty as it had been in any of the dog days of Arsene Wenger’s reign despite the report of 59,039 tickets sold. Those that stayed away didn’t miss much, especially in a first half almost devoid of incident.

The tone for this encounter was set from the kick-off, where Vorskla immediately punted for territory deep in the Arsenal half. No-one was about to confuse this with events at Anfield and the Etihad over the last few days.

The Ukrainians provided obdurate opposition over the first 30 minutes, inviting Arsenal to swarm down the flanks safe in the knowledge that their centre-backs had the beating off Aubameyang when crosses came into the box.

Their plan would probably have paid off rather successfully had Dmytro Kravchenko not been so blasé when his team-mates sallied forth. A dummy on the edge of the Arsenal area handed possession to Henrikh Mkhitaryan and with it an open field to drive into.

Alex Iwobi, the brightest spark of a dull first-half, continued the break from the left before delivering a cross right into Aubameyang’s path that the forward volleyed past Bohdan Shust.

Aubameyang’s opener threatened to open the floodgates before the first half was out and the Gabon striker nearly had a second when he flashed a curling strike within millimetres of the post. From a not dissimilar spot Mkhitaryan drew a fine save from Shust after swivelling into space with elegant control.

The levee held for the first half but scarcely more than a moment of the second. Once more Vorskla’s right flank buckled and with it fell the rest of the defence as Welbeck ghosted in between the two centre-backs to meet Mkhitaryan’s cross.

As the heavens opened it was soon raining chances, Aubameyang doubling his tally after Ardin Daliku had played him onside in comically inept style.

Mkhitaryan and Iwobi might both have had the goals their performances merited but for desperate defensive blocks before substitute Ozil poked home the fourth after Stephan Lichtsteiner had beaten his man.

Meanwhile debutant goalkeeper Bernd Leno was cruising to Arsenal’s first clean sheet of the season only to be beaten by a thunderous drive from Volodymyr Chesnakov in the area. Another was conceded with the last kick of the game, a delicate side-footed effort by Vyacheslav Sharpar.

The German, vying with Petr Cech to be Emery’s first-choice between the sticks, had not put a foot out of line but by the same token had not been given much opportunity to impress against a team so clearly outgunned by Arsenal.