Wednesday briefing: Arsenal and Tottenham start with wins in Champions League
By PA Sport Staff
Arsenal and Tottenham launched their Champions League campaigns in victorious fashion on Tuesday.
League Two Grimsby were among three teams to progress in the Carabao Cup, while Liverpool boss Arne Slot defended his club’s summer spending ahead of a possible debut for Alexander Isak.
Super subs give Gunners victory in Bilbao
Instant impact!
Martinelli gives Arsenal the lead 36 seconds after coming off the bench against Athletic Club ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/ViyE1nLSbK— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 16, 2025
Substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard fired Arsenal to a 2-0 win away to Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League.
Martinelli scored just 36 seconds after coming on, racing on to Trossard’s ball over the top to finish under the body of goalkeeper Unai Simon in the 72nd minute.
The Brazil winger returned the favour four minutes from time by pulling the ball back from the left for Trossard to convert with the aid of a deflection.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “I looked on the bench, I looked at him (Martinelli), and in his eyes I could see that he was ready, Leo as well.”
Partey plays ahead of court appearance
Luiz Junior’s own goal gifted Tottenham a 1-0 home victory over Villarreal on an evening when Thomas Partey played hours before an appearance in court.
Spurs claimed three points on their Champions League return after visiting goalkeeper Junior spilled Lucas Bergvall’s fourth-minute cross in comical fashion.
Former Arsenal midfielder Partey was brough on by the visitors with 12 minutes left.
Partey is due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday morning to enter pleas to rape charges.
The 32-year-old is accused of five counts of rape against two women, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman.
h2>Mariners march on
Grimsby reached the fourth round of the Carabao Cup for the first time in 24 years thanks to a 1-0 win over a youthful Sheffield Wednesday side at Hillsborough.
The two clubs pulled off the biggest shocks in round two, with the fourth tier Mariners upsetting Manchester United on penalties after Wednesday’s youngsters embarrassed Yorkshire rivals Leeds in similar circumstances.
Jaze Kabia headed Grimsby’s 49th-minute winner in front of around 6,000 travelling fans in South Yorkshire, with the home support heavily outnumbered due to a planned boycott as part of ongoing protests against under-fire Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace scraped past south London rivals Millwall 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park, while Brentford beat fellow Premier League side Aston Villa by the same scoreline.
Slot defends Liverpool’s spending spree
Liverpool boss Arne Slot criticised pundits who “favour other clubs” as he launched an impassioned defence of the club’s unprecedented summer transfer activity.
The deadline-day signing of striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle for a British record fee of £125million took the Reds’ spending to £450m on eight players.
Slot, who could give a debut to Isak in Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid at Anfield, was keen to point out the substantial outlay was offset by more than £250m recouped in sales.
“There is so much focus on our new signings, especially from pundits that favour some other clubs in the country that cannot stop talking about £450m,” said the Dutchman. “But they forget about (nearly) £300m that we have sold for. I think we did great business.”
What’s on today?
Liverpool host Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, while Chelsea travel to Bayern Munich and reigning champions Paris St Germain take on Atalanta.
In the Carabao Cup, Ange Postecoglou will go in search of his first victory as Nottingham Forest boss in a third-round tie at Championship club Swansea.
