Arsenal continue strong English contingent with victory over Rennes – Darren Lewis

After all the madness, they stay after all.

At least the uncertainty here in North London has been settled with the minimum of hbadle.

Especially with the super-hero Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a one man mission to ensure that Arsenal maintains the strong English contingent in Europe this season.

He should have had four goals in the night.

He will be satisfied with the badistance and badistance, as well as the possibility of parting with his Black Panther celebration.

You really have to admire a man so confident in his ability to score that he leaves a mask behind the goal in state of readiness.

But then, when the Avengers gathered here in the Emirates, they decided to remove this 3-1 abomination in Rennes last week.

Since the start of the Europa League 10 years ago, only one team has progressed to the next round after losing 3-1 in the first leg in the round of 16.

Fulham, who lost 3-1 away to Juventus, managed to create a 4-1 home sensation.

The return here would be far from being so sensational.

Arsenal, beaten only three times at home all season, had to turn back against the club, eighth in Ligue 1.

They did so well that the stadium DJ, who prepared the atmosphere before the match, was able to change Sade at the break.

At that point, Arsenal was 2-0 and controlled the game with a bit of luck and a nice finish.

After just five minutes, Aubameyang and Ainsley Maitland-Niles released Aaron Ramsey on the right.

The Juventus midfielder rolled the ball through the penalty area and Aubameyang was on the spot to bring him home.

Ten minutes after the first match, Aubameyang was again in the heat of the moment for the second.

This time he was released on the left by Ramsey.

To be fair to the Rennes defense, they stopped with Sead Kolasinac who seemed offside through Welshman, thanks to a deep ball, although he did not try to to play.

Instead Aubameyang ran on it. The problem was that he too was offside. The officials, however, have not noticed.

The Gabon striker went through and Maitland-Niles went into the back post with a ball header. Two-nil. Rennes was now everywhere.

Curiously, however, the gunners released their grip. Just enough so that Julian Stephan's men can gain a foothold in the match.

In the 22nd minute, widower Benjamin Bourigeaud nearly lost the ball from the head of former Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa.

Seven minutes after the break, striker M'Baye Niang forced Petr Cech to make a precise stop.

Meanwhile, the French team sought to disrupt Arsenal's pace with systematic foul play and heavy foul play. It makes little difference. Not with Aubameyang in this form.

Henrik Mkhitaryan, who replaced his opponent well, led Sead Kolasinac to his left.

As his low center, there could only be one man ready to hit the ball for an empty goal – Aubameyang.