• Arsenal 4-1 Galatasaray

Welbeck: I forgot my hat-trick match ball

ESPN staff
October 1, 2014
Danny Welbeck's hat-trick was the first by an Englishman in the Champions League since Michael Owen in 2009 © Getty Images
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Danny Welbeck admitted he was so surprised to score his first ever hat-trick that he forgot to pick up the match-ball as he left the field after Arsenal's 4-1 win over Galatasaray.

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Welbeck notched twice in the first half and again shortly after the break as Arsene Wenger celebrated 18 years in charge of Arsenal by watching his side cruise past the the Turkish champions.

When asked where his match ball was in his post-match interview, Welbeck laughed and said: "I forgot it!"

He added: "I'm not used to it. My last hat-trick was probably for [Manchester] United's reserves."

Welbeck, often played out wide by Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes during his time at Old Trafford, thanked Arsene Wenger for believing in him as a striker.

"I'm playing up front and I've been working on scoring more goals and tonight it paid off," he said.

"The manager's shown a lot of faith in me and I'm pleased to pay him back. I'm up front, in the position I want to be in.

"I'm delighted to get the goals but the most important thing is to get three points on the board after losing the first game [to Borussia Dortmund]."

Welbeck did manage to get his hands on the match ball, and Arsenal tweeted this picture from the dressing room:

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