Boos rang out around a near-empty Emirates Stadium as Arsenal slumped to a dismal 2-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Gunners started the game fairly brightly, with Gabriel Martinelli having a header cleared off the line by former Manchester City man Gelson Fernandes.

Joe Willock and Bakary Saka also had good chances in the first-half with both of their efforts drawing fine saves out of stand-in keeper Frederik Ronnow.

Frankfurt in contrast looked toothless in the first period, mustering just one attempt on goal in the opening 45 minutes. It was no surprise when Arsenal took the lead in stoppage time through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who just managed to squeeze his shot past Ronnow.

After the break the away side managed to equalise completely against the run of play with Daichi Kamada rifling a shot past Emiliano Martinez to level up the scores.

The goal inspired confidence in the visitors and Kamada doubled his tally for the evening with an excellent finish after the ball fell to him from a corner.

Arsenal offered very little in the way of a response to Frankfurt’s brace despite bringing on Mesut Ozil. The game finished 2-1 as the sparsely populated Emirates made their feelings known, with thousands more having already voted with their feet.

Arsenal

Talking Point

It was a rather eerie affair in north London this evening. With Frankfurt fans banned from attending and ​tens of thousands of ​Arsenal fans choosing to stay away, only a very sparsely populated Emirates Stadium witnessed Arsenal’s poor defeat.

And what did the fans who stayed at home miss? Another drab performance from Unai Emery’s side, void of creativity, invention and most worryingly of all, effort.

After starting the game fairly well, the Gunners were left shellshocked by Frankfurt’s quick-fire brace in the second half and their failure to muster up any kind of a response in indicative of a side lacking in determination and character.

It was a performance as apathetic as fans feeling towards the clubs at the moment, and unfortunately for Emery the buck will eventually stop with the manager. It is surely now an issue of when not if the Spaniard will be given his marching orders by the Gunners.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Martinez (4), Chambers (5), Mustafi (5), Sokratis (5), Tierney (5); Xhaka (6), Luiz (6) Willock (8*); Martinelli (7), Aubameyang (7), Saka (6)

Substitutes: Guendouzi (5), Ozil (5), Torreira (5)

Star Man

In what was a mostly dismal display from Arsenal this evening, one bright spark was the performance of Joe Willock.

Operating as a roaming playmaker in the Gunners’ midfield three, Willock’s dynamism and drive were at the heart of everything his side created.

The 20-year-old has been conspicuously absent from the starting XI in recent weeks and if he continues to play like this it won’t be long until his forces his way back into his manager’s plans. Whether that manager will be Unai Emery however, remains to be seen.

Frankfurt

Player Ratings

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Starting XI: Ronnow (7), da Costa (7), Abraham (6), Hasebe (6), Hinteregger (6), Kostic (7); Kamada (8), Fernandes (6), Sow (7); Silva (5), Paciencia (6)

Substitutes: Gacinovic (5), Kohr (6)

 Looking Ahead

Arsenal turn their attentions back to their domestics commitments this weekend as they look to close the gap on the top four.

The Gunners travel to Carrow Road to face Norwich City on Sunday, in what they will surely be targeting as an easy three points.

Frankfurt will also reset their focus on the league. They take on Mainz on Monday night in the Bundesliga.  ​

A bizarre late equaliser from Daniel Wass prevented Chelsea from securing a place in the Champions League knockout stages in an enthralling clash with Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium on Wednesday night.

Valencia looked like they found the pivotal early goal, only for Maxi Gomez to completely miss the ball when presented with a glorious chance from Rodrigo’s low cross. The striker then wasted another superb opportunity, only this time to be halted by a fine Kepa save.

It was Jasper Cillessen’s turn to save his side shortly after, as Tammy Abraham’s side-footed effort looked destined for the top corner before the Dutch goalkeeper intervened. That had a significant impact just seconds later, as Carlos Soler turned home from close range to hand Valencia the lead. It didn’t last long, however, when Mateo Kovacic fired home from range to level matters less than two minutes later.

​Chelsea then took the lead shortly after the restart, as Christian Pulisic tapped home from close range, after a lengthy VAR review deemed the American to be onside. With the game being played at blistering pace, the home side then had the opportunity to draw level after Jorginho felled Jose Gaya in the box. Kepa stood up to the challenge, however; making a fine right handed save to deny Dani Parejo.

Los Ches continued to throw men forward as the game wore on, with their second goal of the night coming in bizarre fashion as Wass’ right wing cross was poorly hit – but beautifully aimed – as it stunned everyone and flew into the Chelsea net off the far post.

Both sides went hammer and tong as the minutes wore on, with seven minutes of stoppage time seeing chances aplenty for both outfits. Valencia will be baffled as to how they didn’t snatch it in injury time, spurning two gilt-edged chances to secure all three points. Nevertheless, neither side could find the breakthrough and the draw leaves both clubs’ chances of reaching the knockout stages hinging on the final group stage matches.

​VALENCIA

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Cillessen (7); Costa (5), Garay (7), Gabriel (6), Gaya (7); Torres (8), Parejo (7), Wass (7), Soler (8); Rodrigo (5), Gomez (5)

Substitutes: Gameiro (6), Coquelin (7)

CHELSEA

Key Talking Point

Well, how do we unpack all of that?

This was a hugely entertaining encounter, the kind of one you’d rather just kept going on all night. Probably not what Frank Lampard thought, mind you, with his Chelsea defence looking rather shaky in a first half that Valencia deserved at least a goal from.

Some astonishing Gomez misses prevented that from happening, but the idea of dropping Fikayo Tomori and playing Cesar Azpilicueta seemed to confuse the backline, who conceded far too many chances.

Netting early in the second half looked like it would settle nerves, but the home side were happy to throw men forward in search of an equaliser that would be crucial to their own hopes of qualification. It was end-to-end stuff, with Chelsea’s efforts to cling on ending in failure through the unfortunate manner in which they conceded.

It was a truly barnstorming encounter that could have ended 5-5 let alone 2-2, but in the end it does neither sides any favours heading into the final group matches. Luckily for Chelsea, however, they take on bottom side Lille at home, knowing that Valencia will need to travel to Ajax, which poses a far more daunting proposition.

You couldn’t take your eyes off proceedings, but the manner in which Chelsea were carved open on numerous occasions will be the key issue for Lampard to unpick when the squad head back to London.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Kepa (8); James (8), Christensen (6), Zouma (7), Azpilicueta (6); Kovacic (9*), Jorginho (6), Kante (7); Pulisic (7), Abraham (5), Willian (6)

Substitutes: Emerson (6), Batshuayi (6), Mount (6)

Star Man

It was a long time coming, but Mateo Kovacic finally netted his first Chelsea goal at the 71st time of asking. Do not scratch your eyes, it actually happened. And it was a top drawer strike, mind you.

Scoring aside, he was the engine in the Blues midfield who was driving forward with the ball in the absence of Mason Mount, offering a threat going forward while equally keeping hold of the ball in situations that called for calm.

He’s a player who has truly blossomed under Lampard, and his immense form is keeping the club’s star of the season on the bench. That says enough. Another excellent night from the Croatian.