The 3-0 win against Zagreb means Arsenal have now scored 500 goals under Mikel Arteta [Alexander Canillas/SPP]

ARSENAL all-but sealed their place in the last-16 of the Champions League last night (Wednesday) with a routine 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb.

The victory leaves the Gunners sitting third in the 36-team table with 16 points, three points and a healthy goal-difference ahead of ninth-placed Aston Villa.

Mikel Arteta was quick to praise his players after they lifted any potential pressure that might of surrounded their final league game away to Girona next Wednesday.

“I’m very happy because it’s job almost done,” said the Gunners boss. “To win again at home and get a clean sheet, that’s four in a row in this competition. It’s a massive step. We’re very close to achieving the goal we had before the group stage started.”

It took Declan Rice less than two minutes to give a raucous Emirates crowd something to cheer when he thumped home his first-ever goal in the Champions League following a neat lay-off from Kai Havertz.

Rice’s effort was all that separated the two sides until shortly after the hour mark when Havertz finally calmed any fears that Arsenal might let their narrow lead slip. The German international was well-placed to head home a sublime delivery from Gabriel Martinelli to make it 2-0.

It was a special moment in more ways than one – as it also marked the 500th goal that the Gunners have scored under Arteta.

On a frosty night in north London, those Gooners who stayed until the very end were rewarded for braving the cold. First, they can say they were there when Martin Odegaard scored his first goal from open play for club or country since last April. The Arsenal captain got on the end of Leandro Trossard’s cross to tap home from close range.

Arteta said it was an important goal for his skipper. He added: “It was really good from Martin. His first goal and he really needed that. You could tell by the way he celebrated that he had an anger and a desire to do it, so overall a really positive night.”

Those faithful fans who stayed can also say they saw the club finally bring on a striker – in the shape of 22-year-old academy graduate Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, who replaced Martinelli in stoppage-time to make his Gunners debut.

Having opened the scoring, Rice said it was important to bounce back following Saturday’s disappointing result at home to Aston Villa, which saw the Gunners throw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 – denting Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge.

“Look, we need to keep winning games,” the midfielder told TNT Sports. “I think the game at the weekend, 2-0 up, we drew 2-2 – it’s a real kick in the teeth. We should be seeing the game out, but to bounce back tonight and win was important. It’s been a tough month but lets keep being positive and we go again.

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