This was hardly the emphatic riposte to defeat Mikel Arteta would have envisaged.
Job done – but that’s as much as can be said, really. Dmytro Riznyk’s first-half own goal was enough to ensure Arsenal returned to winning ways after the surprise loss at Bournemouth.
But it should have been far more comfortable than this, particularly when you consider Leandro Trossard’s missed penalty.
Of course, Arteta will argue a that a win is a win. He is right, of course.
Arsenal are firmly on track for qualification into the Champions League group stages thanks to this victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.
Gabriel Martinelli’s low effort helped Arsenal take a 1-0 lead against Shakhtar Donetsk
The shot hit the upright before bouncing back into the net off goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk
Arsenal earned the victory to secure an immediate response to the loss against Bournemouth
Yet the manner of victory will have done little to fire pangs of fear towards Merseyside ahead of Sunday’s clash against Liverpool.
Arsenal were wasteful, they created enough opportunities to win two matches here last night.
Arteta may view that as a positive. But they won’t have the same luxury against Virgil van Dijk and Co on Sunday.
That will be a concern.
Arsenal’s start was rapid. Gabriel Martinelli tore down the left. Gabriel Jesus – captain for the night – was bolting down the right. Shakhtar clung on for dear life.
This Arsenal team aren’t used to losing, their Ukrainian opponents can vouch for that as they caught the wrong end of the Gunners’ response to Saturday’s shock defeat at Bournemouth.
Ricardo Calafiori should have opened the scoring inside eight minutes from Leandro Trossard’s inswinging corner but wildly blazed over from close range under pressure Yukhym Konoplia.
By 15 minutes, Arsenal had accumulated 75 percent of the ball, a stat that told you pretty much all you needed to know.
Arsenal were awarded a penalty with Valeriy Bondar adjudged to have handled a cross
Leandro Trossard stepped up from the spot with the chance to double Arsenal’s lead
Trossard’s effort was kept out by the diving Riznyk who gave Shakhtar hope of a fightback
Trossard squandered a couple of opportunities before Calafiori forced Dmytro Riznyk into a comfortable with an effort from distance as Arsenal sought the breakthrough.
The start may have encouraged Arteta after the disappointment by the seaside, though Shakthar did settle – Eguinaldo and Georgiy Sudakov catching the eye for the Ukrainians.
Eventually the Gunners took an advantage their dominance warranted, though there was a touch of fortune about their opener.
Gabriel Martinelli had caused right-back Konoplia problems all night with his pace and directness, in the 29th minute the pressure told.
Brazil international Martinelli tormented his victim once again, cutting inside the defender before firing a low shot that cannoned off the foot of post before rebounding back off the unknowing Riznyk ahead of agonisingly rolling over the line.
The manner of the goal was luckless from a Shakhtar point of view. But they could have no complaints – even the most ardent of Shakhtar supporter would concede Arsenal deserved their lead.
Mykola Matviyenko produced a brilliant clearance from deep inside his own six yard box to prevent Kai Havertz a certain goal after good work from Jesus, who missed a glorious chance of his own in the dying embers of the first half.
Indeed, the only letdown for Arteta as the half-time whistle blew was that Arsenal weren’t home and hosed.
The ideal scenario, ahead of Sunday’s huge visit of Premier League leaders Liverpool, for Arteta was to rest a clutch of his first-team players.
Arsenal were dealt a blow after Calafiori required lengthy treatment on a knee injury
The defender was forced to limp off the field to add to concerns ahead of a trip to Anfield
With that in mind, Ben White was subbed off at the break in place of midfielder Mikel Merino in a move that saw Thomas Partey move to right-back.
Arsenal picked up where they left off, Trossard wasteful again – nodding a free header from Martinelli’s cross behind the far post in the opening two minutes of the restart.
You couldn’t help but wonder if all of these missed chances would come back to bite Arsenal on the proverbial, though their control of the game at this juncture appeared to make such a twist nigh on impossible.
Riznyk denied Martinellii in the 53rd minute as Arsenal probed for the luxury of a second goal, before Trossard fired a low long range effort narrowly wide just moments later.
Every indication suggested that Arsenal’s second was in the offing – though Eguinaldo firing straight at Gabriel Magalhaes with the goal to aim following Trossard’s poor back pass served as a warning – if the Gunners required one – to the risks of 1-0 leads.
And all of a sudden you sensed tension in the air. A comfortable night had suddenly become jittery.
Shakhtar, out of nowhere, had found some rhythm. Arsenal appeared anxious.
The groans and gasps from the home crowd were audible. This wasn’t in the script.
To add to the anxieties, Calafiori required lengthy treatment on a knee injury following a tangle with Eguinaldo before limping off in place of rookie Myles Lewis-Skelly, while Raheem Sterling was also introduced for the final 22 minutes in hope of disrupting Shakhtar’s flow.
David Raya was called into action in the closing stages as Arsenal held on to their narrow lead
Arsenal were gifted a golden opportunity to ease tensions thanks to what looked a soft VAR call – Valeriy Bondar, under pressure from Trossard, adjudged to have handled in the box.
The Belgian stepped up only to see his effort saved by Riznyk, who’d deserved his moment of glory following the personal misfortune of Arsenal’s goal.
Shakhtar, buoyed by their goalkeeper’s heroics, threw the heavy artillery at Arsenal, who were frantically clearing their lines instead of measuring passes out of defence.
Raya produced a brilliant save from Kevin’s thunderbolt from distance in injury time before the Gunners keeper held onto Marlon Gomes’ looping header as Arsenal held on. Just.