Classy Arsenal end Bayern run, Mbappe hits four, Liverpool lose again

Arsenal handed Bayern Munich a first defeat of the entire season on Wednesday to go top in the Champions League as the only team with maximum points from a 3-1 statement victory.

The Gunners opened the scoring in almost trademark fashion when Jurrien Timber headed in off a corner kick in the 22nd.

Teenager Lennart Karl became the first player to score against Arsenal in the competition 10 minutes later to complete a superb Bayern attack.

But Noni Madueke at the far post in the 70th and fellow substitute Gabriel Martinelli in the 77th ended Bayern's run after 18 games without defeat, of which they had won 17.

On an action packed night, Kylian Mbappe scored all goals, including a hat-trick in the span of seven minutes, in Real Madrid's 4-3 at Olympiacos, and title holders Paris Saint-Germain came from behind twice to beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-3 with the help of a Vitinha hat-trick but also had Lucas Hernandez sent off late.

Liverpool's woes continued in the form of a shocking 4-1 home defeat against PSV Eindhoven while Inter Milan joined Bayern by dropping their first points and lost 2-1 at Atletico Madrid from José Maria Gimenez' header.

Perfect Arsenal lead with way after five matchdays three points ahead of Inter, PSG, Bayern and Real. Five clubs are another two points back, including Atalanta and Sporting, who claimed 3-0 victories at Eintracht Frankfurt and against Club Brugge, respectively.

The top eight go straight into the last 16, the teams from ninth to 24th into play-offs.

Gunners on fire again

Arsenal underlined their credentials with the prestigious win against Bayern whose star striker Harry Kane suffered another painful defeat at the Emirates after many similar experiences during his Spurs days.

Bayern enjoyed early possession but Arsenal pounced yet again on a set piece when Timber's glacing header off a corner kick went over goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into the far corner in a crowded goalmouth.

The Bundesliga leaders responded in style when former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry volloyed a long ball from Joshua Kimmich into the path of 17-year-old Karl who became the first player to beat David Raya into the roof of the net.

But it was all Arsenal after the break. Neuer saved from Bukayo Saka and Madueke while a header from Mikel Merino went inches wide before Madueke tapped in Califiori's cross from the left at the far post with 20 minutes left.

It was all over seven minutes later when Martinelli made the most of Neuer stranded far outside the penalty area and scored into the empty net - leaving the Gunners brimming with confidence ahead of their next table topper - in the Premier League - on Sunday at Chelsea.

Special night

"I thought tonight we were outstanding. The manager is so happy. It was a special European night," Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice told TNT Sports.

"We are just taking it one game at a time. There is a hunger and desire to win every game. There is a long way to go - let's not get carried away."

Gnabry told streaming portal DAZN: "You have to accept defeat sometimes. Arsenal are a very strong team, very dominant. We didn't do so well going forward in the second half. We've had a great run, so I don't think we need to let anything slip or work on anything."

PSG too good for Spurs

Tottenham were crushed 4-1 by Arsenal last weekend in the North London derby and were unable to bounce back at PSG despite leading twice, from Richarlinson and Randall Kolo Muani at Parc des Princes.

Vitinha levelled twice in classy fashion and Fabian Ruiz and Willian Pacho also netted as PSG roared from 2-1 down to 4-2. Kolo Muani scored again against his parent club but Vitinha's penalty made it 5-3 before Hernandez got his marching orders in stoppage time.

Liverpool crisis

Liverpool suffered their ninth defeat in 12 matches against PSV which came on the heels of a 3-0 weekend defeat against Nottingham Forest, also at Anfield, and will mount the pressure on manager Arne Slot.

Veteran Ivan Perisic gave PSV an early lead from the spot after a Virgil van Dijk handball. Dominik Szoboszlai levelled in the 16th and van Dijk headed against the crossbar in the 32nd but the goals fell on the other side after the break from Guus Til's flick in the 55th and a Couhaib Driouech brace in the 73rd and stoppage time.

The emotions are very negative and disappointing," Slot said. "The mentality after going 1-0 down was as we wanted it to be, but it’s not always so easy after so many disappointments."

Mbappe hits four

Record winners Real meanwhile ended all upset hopes by the hosts in Piraeus after an early lead from Chiquinho when Mbappe netted a hat-trick between the 22nd and 29th minute and made it 4-2 in the 59th after nice work from Vinicius Junior, after Mehdi Taremi got the hosts' second.

However, Real bacame sloppy at the back and had to sweat it out over the final minutes after Ayoub El Kaabi's 81st minute header.

Copenhagen win and Luiz scores

Elsewhere Copenhagen got their first victory, 3-2 over lowly Kairat Almaty while Monaco were held 2-2 at Pafos. Brazilian 38-year-old veteran David Luiz, who lifted the trophy with Chelsea in 2012, headed home for Pafos, his first goal in the event since 2017.