Arsenal: Mustafi and Sokratis reflect on Europa League win HERE for the latest MUFC breaking news and transfer updates SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign upfor the latest MUFC breaking news and transfer updates When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Arsenal went into Thursday night’s showdown at the Emirates knowing they had to win by at least two goals to reach the round of 16. And Unai Emery, three times a Europa League winner at Sevilla, was in no mood to risk not securing safe passage. The Spanish tactician went with an experienced starting XI, including the returning Mesut Ozil from illness. And his selection proved spot on as Arsenal cantered to a comfortable 3-0 win over their Belarussian opponents. Ozil was one of six players to get a score of 7 out of 10 as Arsenal consigned last week’s 1-0 loss to BATE to distant memory. The playmaker did his job in midfield having been included in Emery’s squad for the first time since February 3’s defeat to Manchester City. However, one of his co-stars outshone him by providing two assists for his team-mates. Express Sport brings you all of the ratings as Arsenal book their place in Friday’s Europa League draw. Arsenal player ratings: ONE star shines with a 9 as Mesut Ozil grabs 7 out of 10 on return Arsenal: Gunners arrive for Europa League clash Arsenal player ratings: ONE star shines with a 9 as Mesut Ozil grabs 7 out of 10 on return Arsenal player ratings Petr Cech - 7 A quiet night for the Arsenal No 2 who will be hoping the win represents a step towards a final trophy of his storied career. Stephan Lichtsteiner - 8 The Swiss full-back has been much-maligned since rocking up at Arsenal but he was up to the mark against Alexander Hleb and co. Shkodran Mustafi - 8 Weighed in with a goal to put Arsenal in total control and looked assured at the back for most of the game. Arsenal player ratings: ONE star shines with a 9 as Mesut Ozil grabs 7 out of 10 on return Laurent Koscielny - 7 Arsenal fans will be hoping his calf injury is not too serious given the form he has shown since making his comeback. Nacho Monreal - 7 A no-thrills night for the left-back but he was a rock as Arsenal claimed a much-needed clean sheet. Matteo Guendouzi - 7 The young Frenchman looks at home in north London and will hope to build on another solid performance. Granit Xhaka - 9 Arsenal’s key man in the middle of the park, with two assists helping his side into the round of 16. Arsenal player ratings: ONE star shines with a 9 as Mesut Ozil grabs 7 out of 10 on return Alex Iwobi - 8 A livewire on the wing as Arsenal reverted to the formation which has served them well under Emery. Mesut Ozil - 7 No signs of ring rust as the playmaker stepped up to the plate following yet another spell on the sidelines. Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 7 Not a night to write home about but the former Manchester United flop can be content with his evening’s work. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 7 The Gabon international is always a threat but failed to get his name on the scoresheet at the Emirates. Trending Arsenal player ratings: ONE star shines with a 9 as Mesut Ozil grabs 7 out of 10 on return<doc-sep>Arsenal booked their place in the last 16 of the Europa League after beating BATE Borisov 3-0 at the Emirates. The result saw Unai Emery’s men win 3-1 on aggregate, having lost the first leg 1-0 in Belarus. A Zakhar Volkov own-goal put the hosts ahead, with Shkodran Mustafi finding the back of the net six minutes before the break to double the scoreline. Sokratis Papastathopoulos added a third on the hour mark to seal the victory. BATE pushed for a breakthrough but Arsenal did enough to dominate proceedings and see out the game to confirm their place in the next round of the competition. So how did the two teams fare? See the gallery below for our player ratings.<doc-sep>Arsenal eased to a routine 3-0 victory against BATE Borisov to advance to the Europa League round of 16. Unai Emery’s side started fast and caught the Belarusians off-guard, as Zakhar Volkov flailed at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross and sliced the ball into the top corner of his own net to give the Gunners the lead. And after dominating possession, with Mesut Ozil excelling in the No 10 role in a wide-open game, Shkodran Mustafi headed Arsenal two-clear just before half-time from a corner In the second half, Sokratis, who replaced a limping Laurent Koscielny, also rose highest to add Arsenal’s third and secure victory in a game they controlled from the opening kick. Here’s five things we learned from the game: Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Petr Cech - 7 Action Images via Reuters Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Stephan Lichtsteiner - 7 AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Shkodran Mustafi - 7 Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Laurent Koscielny - 6 Action Images via Reuters Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Nacho Monreal - 6 AP Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Matteo Guendouzi - 6 AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Granit Xhaka - 7 AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 6 Getty Images Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Mesut Ozil - 8 AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Alex Iwobi - 7 Action Images via Reuters Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 6 PA Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Denis Scherbitski - 6 REUTERS Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Aleksei Rios - 6 Action Images via Reuters Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Zakhar Volkov - 5 Action Images via Reuters Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Egor Filipenko - 6 REUTERS Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Aleksandar Filipovic - 5 Getty Images Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Slobodan Simovic - 6 PA Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Stanislav Dragun - 6 EPA Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Maksim Skavysh - 6 AP Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Dmitri Baga - 5 AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Ihar Stasevich - 6 PA Arsenal vs BATE player ratings Nemanja Milic - 5 EPA Mesut Ozil returns in a Houdini act... Not since the 29 January had Mesut Ozil been seen in an Arsenal shirt, beyond the smokescreen of social media posts and vague references to the sniffles. But, once finally granted a returned to the first XI, the stage was primed and polished for the German’s overdue return. It’s easy to fawn over Ozil’s influence on Arsenal’s play in this match, the silken touch and languid ability to dictate every move with only the most innocuous of touches. Within the first five minutes, he had twice released Alex Iwobi down the left-wing with nothing more than a mindless pass. The type of casual brilliance, stretching Bate’s defenders and picking pockets of space, that the Gunners so desperately lacked in Belarus. When Ozil plays in his starring role, given free licence to roam the pitch, he seems so natural that the other players around him are reduced to being off-beat. The constant interplay with Iwobi, the composure in the box to source a final ball. Once Arsenal were beyond and clear, then the flicks, backheels and no-look passes were all hauled out for the highlight reel. Ozil may not be an Emery player. He may not function against the top sides in the Premier League, but when faced with such technically inferior opposition such as tonight, he makes everything seem so simple and easy, and as irresistible as ever. Stuck in the headlights... It only took three-and-half minutes for Arsenal to put the tie on even keel. From that moment onward, it already felt over. That the Arsenal which has spent this season on intermittent sabbaticals had returned for one of its nights of theatre. The Emery side in Belarus were lethargic and leaden-footed, but here they instantly fizzed into life. After Iwobi had twice surged to the byline before attempting to cut back to the awaiting Aubameyang, it was the striker who turned provider, latching on to a long-ball without a yellow shirt in sight. Head down, afterburners on, he swiped across at the face of goal, blinded to the fact there was not an Arsenal player in sight. But Zakhar Volkov, still rusty and mud stuck by Arsenal’s fast start, could only slice his attempted clearance into his own net. Ozil impressed on his return (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) Fluid four at the back... Emery decided on a back four this week, after a relentless series of shuffling between two formations, and the result was that Arsenal were unrecognisable from the side who lacked movement, closed off their own spaces and crossed running lines with their own teammates last week. Most notable of Arsenal’s switch to a back-four was the transition between attack and defence, a hark back to the days of glory, glory counter-attacks - much in the vein that Solskjaer has conjured at Manchester United. Every time Arsenal dispossessed BATE, you felt as though they could score. The likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Iwobi, playing on either wing, who are often guilty of being overly ponderous and passing sideways, burst forward at their opposite numbers with confidence and incision. And Aubameyang, flying solo up front thanks to Alexandre Lacazette’s red card in the reverse fixture, thrived without having to share the area with his strike partner. There was space for him to burst into and likewise for Ozil to weave in behind. When the game is gridlocked, Arsenal can never seem to find the solution. But when they are set up in a way to stretch it, they find a comfort zone. Koscielny limped off injured (Action Images via Reuters) Still signs of uncertainty in defence... BATE only came truly close to scoring on one occasion.<doc-sep>Arsenal defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos has said that Mesut Ozil has the support of the whole squad as the German playmaker fights to win back his place in the starting line-up. Ozil, who has struggled to convince head coach Unai Emery of his worth, started for only the fifth time since November in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Bate Borisov in the Europa League. The 30-year-old has cut an isolated figure this season but Sokratis said the Arsenal players are hoping he can lead them to success in the latter stages of the campaign. “Mesut is a fantastic player and when he is fit he is one of the most important players of the team,” Sokratis said. “Of course when something is not going good, everybody is there to criticise, but we have to see also what Mesut did in the last years for this team. All the players are behind him and we need a good Mesut to go [forward] because we know that he is very important for us.”<doc-sep>
Arsenal overturned a Europa League round of 32 first-leg deficit to book their spot in the last-16. The Gunners welcomed BATE Borisov to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday evening knowing that they needed to score at least twice to avoid extra-time as well as keeping a clean sheet. That's exactly what happened with defenders Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis both getting on the scoresheet as well as an first-half own goal in a 3-0 win and Unai Emery can now look forward to today's draw. Here's how we rated the players against BATE Borisov. Arsenal player ratings Petr Cech Didn't really have anything to do, apart from one comfortable save early in the second half. 6 Stephan Lichtsteiner Really important clearance off the line in the first half. Got forward well down the right. One of his better games, albeit against limited opponents. 8 Shkodran Mustafi Excellent header to make it 2-0. Comfortable night's work for the German. 7 Laurent Koscielny Cruised through the majority of the contest. Had one big scare early in the second half when he failed to clear his lines inside the box, allowing BATE a chance to get a shot on goal. Went off injured. 6 Nacho Monreal Preferred to Kolasinac and did all he could to provide an attacking outlet down the left. Never really troubled defensively. 6 Matteo Guendouzi Another fine display from the youngster. Ran the show in the midfield and went close to scoring with one fine effort that curled just wide. 7 Granit Xhaka Saw lots of the ball and linked up very well with Ozil and Iwobi down the left. Saw one powerful effort tipped over. Two assists from corners. 7 Alex Iwobi Really bright display. Pressed well and was a constant problem for BATE down the left. Deserved a goal and went close on more than one occassion. 8 Mesut Ozil Impressive return to the starting XI. Drifted into space superbly, giving himself time to get on the ball in dangerous areas. Iwobi especially benefited from his guile and clever movement. 8 Henrikh Mkhitaryan Solid enough display down the right. Saw plenty of the ball and was always involved. Lacked that killer instinct in key moments though when well placed. 7 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Led the line well, even though he didn't score. Set the tone early on with some excellent play down the right to force the own goal. Missed a good chance in the second half. 7 (Image: Getty) Substitutes Sokratis Replaced the injured Koscielny in the second half and soon got on the scoresheet with a decent header. Good to have him back. 7 Lucas Torreira Helped close the game out with a typically energetic showing having replaced Guendouzi in the second half. 6 Denis Suarez Given the final 10 minutes but couldn't really get into the game. 5 Keep up to date with the latest news, features and exclusives from football.london via the free football.london app for iPhone and Android. Available to download from the App Store and Google Play.