• Arsenal 4-1 Galatasaray

Welbeck hat-trick is perfect present for Wenger

Danny Welbeck is the first English scorer of a Champions League hat-trick for more than five years © Getty Images

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Danny Welbeck gave manager Arsene Wenger the perfect 18th anniversary present by scoring his first career hat-trick as Arsenal cruised past Galatasaray 4-1 at the Emirates.

Welbeck, the first Englishman to score three in a Champions League match since Michael Owen for Manchester United in 2009, opened his European account for his new club when he poked a neat reverse pass from Alexis Sanchez under the onrushing Fernando Muslera on 22 minutes.

Eight minutes later it was two for Arsenal and two for Welbeck as the £16 million deadline day signing out-muscled Felipe Melo before bending the ball expertly into the far corner.

Match Analysis

• Man of the match: Who else but "dat guy" Danny Welbeck? The £16 million man impressed throughout with his pace, strength and, most importantly, finishing.
• Villain: A special mention to the Galatasaray fans who could have put their club in trouble by throwing flares on the pitch at 2-0, but they are just pipped by Felipe Melo. Outmuscled by Welbeck for the first two goals and should have gone for his nasty challenge on Alexis Sanchez.
• Key moment: There are reasons you splash the cash on flair players like Sanchez, and the Chilean's delicious pass for Welbeck's first got Arsenal underway.
• Alex Perry

Melo was lucky to stay on the field soon after when he lunged in on Sanchez with both feet off the ground. But it was the Chilean forward who had the last laugh just before half-time when he jinked his way through Galatasaray's defence before putting the result beyond doubt.

UEFA are likely to launch an investigation into unsavoury scenes 20 minutes into the match which saw play halted after several flares were jettisoned from the away end, with Muslera and captain Wesley Sneijder helping restore calm as riot police surrounded the perimeter fences.

But calm was restored and Welbeck completed his treble shortly after the break when he latched on to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's through-ball before a delicate chip over Muslera.

The gloss was taken off Arsenal's evening when Wojciech Szczesny was sent off for upending Burak Yilmaz in the box.

Yilmaz picked himself up and wrong-footed replacement goalkeeper David Ospina with the resulting spot-kick.

Colombia international Ospina made a couple of smart saves during the closing stages, and Arsenal will now head to Premier League leaders Chelsea on Sunday full of confidence.

Arsenal are up to second in Group D on three points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, who cruised to a 3-0 victory at Anderlecht.

Alexis Sanchez also impressed for the Gunners © Getty Images

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