Only a major shock in the second leg will prevent Arsenal reaching the Europa League semi-finals, as they beat CSKA Moscow 4-1 on Thursday.
Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette led the way as Arsenal crushed CSKA Moscow 4-1 at Emirates Stadium in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, putting the Gunners in complete control of the tie.
The competition offers Arsenal their only realistic chance of securing Champions League football for next season and on this evidence they will take some beating, as they swept their visitors aside with consummate ease on Thursday.
Although Ramsey's early opener was quickly cancelled out by a delightful Aleksandr Golovin free-kick, Arsenal rarely looked in danger of failing to win, as the brilliant Mesut Ozil soon turned on the style to win a penalty that Lacazette fired home.
Ozil then set up Ramsey for his glorious improvised second, before also picking out Lacazette – starting for the first time since January 30 – as the Gunners opened up a three-goal lead.
Arsenal made an imperious start and went ahead after just nine minutes, as Ramsey – who had an earlier goal disallowed – rifled an emphatic finish past Igor Akinfeev from the centre of the penalty area.
Golovin got CSKA an away goal soon after, bending a sumptuous free-kick into the top-right corner from just outside the area.
But at the back the away side looked absolutely hapless and that allowed the Gunners to restore their lead in the 23rd minute – Georgy Schennikov clumsily tripping Ozil in the area and Lacazette confidently dispatched the resulting spot-kick.
Ramsey then doubled his tally in style just before the half-hour mark, latching on to Ozil's chipped pass and flicking it over the head of Akinfeev with a delicate cushioned effort using the outside of his right foot.
Arsenal were rampant and a fourth arrived in the 35th minute, as Lacazette joined Ramsey in getting a second, finding the bottom-left corner with a smart finish after a well-placed cut-back from the immense Ozil.
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