Arsenal fought back to claim a draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich, and it was far from an easy game.
The hosts took the lead through an excellent Bukayo Saka goal, before they were pegged back by former Gunner Serge Gnabry.
Tottenham Hotspur legend Harry Kane then continued to be the thorn in Arsenal’s side as he converted a penalty to make it 2-1 to Bayern by half time.
Leandro Trossard then equalised in the second half, and there was controversy as Arsenal believed Saka should have been awarded a penalty after a perceived foul by Manuel Neuer in the final minute.
Arsenal went into the game as favourites, and a draw at home may not be the perfect result to take to the Allianz Arena, but Mikel Arteta did show his tactical nous with the four substitutions he made to rescue the draw from a losing position.
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Leandro Trossard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey and Gabriel Jesus helped Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
Arteta made four substitutions in the game, with the first coming at half time as Oleksandr Zinchenko replaced Jakub Kiwior at left-back, with the Poland International experiencing a tough game.
This proved to be an excellent decision, as Zinchenko silenced his critics with a very positive performance. In 45 minutes, he completed more passes than Declan Rice did in 90, helping support the midfield in his inverted role, and playing some excellent long passes to help start Arsenal attacks.
He looked much more comfortable than Kiwior, and defended his side well despite worries over his 1v1 ability.
Arteta then made a double substitution later on, as Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard replaced Jorginho and Gabriel Martinelli. This saw Kai Havertz drop back into a midfield role, and it proved to be a masterstroke.
Jesus was electric off the bench, and his excellent dribbling helped him set up Trossard’s equaliser, as the Belgian found the bottom corner with a composed finish.
The final change saw Thomas Partey replace Havertz in midfield in the late stages, and whilst he did give one sloppy pass away, he also had a strong impact.
Partey picked up a yellow card for a tactical foul when Bayern looked to counter late on, and this was something Havertz could not do in the same position, as he would have then been suspended for the second leg.
The midfielder also picked out Saka with an outstanding pass, which led to the late penalty appeal, and it was a strong cameo for a player still yet to find full fitness.
Mikel Arteta squad use proves vital for Arsenal in Champions League
Arsenal face a hectic fixture schedule, and using the whole squad will be important for Arteta if his side are to finish the season strongly and compete for trophies.
The Champions League provided a different test to what Arsenal have faced domestically, and he found that his starting XI were floundering in what was a huge occasion.
However, he read the game well, and introduced his substitutes at the right time. All four changes proved to be spot on in both personnel selection as well as timing, and they had the desired impact as they rescued a draw.