Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted he was "struggling" to grasp all the permutations surrounding his side's Champions League progression, despite their commanding 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday night.

Declan Rice opened the scoring just 104 seconds into the match, netting Arsenal's fastest Champions League goal since 2014. Kai Havertz doubled the lead, marking the Gunners’ 500th goal under Arteta's tenure, before Martin Ødegaard sealed the victory with a late third goal.

Arsenal are now on the brink of securing a place in the round of 16, needing only to avoid an improbable sequence of results in next week's clash against Girona to guarantee a bye from the play-off stages.

Arteta joked about the complexity of the situation but emphasized the importance of staying focused:

"A lot of things have to happen [to drop out of the top eight], but we still have to go to Girona and do a good job. I’m really happy overall. It's a massive step tonight, putting us in a really strong position. We scored three, created plenty, and didn't concede many shots."

The Spanish manager also heaped praise on Rice, who has been recovering from a foot injury but delivered a standout performance:

"The good thing with Dec is he's so consistent, so reliable. His intent, purpose, especially attacking—how he's driving with the ball. Today he could have scored two goals. I’m very happy because we need to affect the game from those positions, and he is doing that."

Rice echoed his manager’s optimism and highlighted the importance of building momentum as Arsenal aim to close the gap on Liverpool in the Premier League.

"What I learnt from last year is that you need to be there or thereabouts at this time of the season, and we are at the minute."

With their Champions League campaign on track and a strong domestic showing, Arsenal fans will hope the team can maintain their form heading into a crucial part of the season.