Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen highlights: Jesus and Trossard star as Havertz and Zinchenko chip in Live and extensive coverage from Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners return to north London and welcome back Granit Xhaka

KEY EVENTS

Full-time

Goal! Arsenal 4-1 Bayer Leverkusen (Hlozek)

19:32

GOAL! Arsenal 4-0 Leverkusen (Havertz)

19:22

GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Leverkusen (Jesus)

18:37

GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Leverkusen (Trossard)

18:09

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Leverkusen (Zinchenko)

18:07

Welcome!

19:47KEY EVENT

Full-time

That’s that! Plenty to be excited about there with goals galore and some great cameos too from the likes of Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri.

Next up is Lyon and Ainsley Maitland-Niles at the weekend. Maybe finally a chance to see Riccardo Calafiori.

Big tackle on Saka

That was nasty. Brilliant play destroyed by a reckless challenge from Andrich.

Xhaka off

A nice embrace between the Swiss midfielder and Mikel Arteta as he left the field there. Puerta comes on.

Change – Martinelli on for Trossard

Goal! Arsenal 4-1 Bayer Leverkusen (Hlozek)

Arsenal are caught on the break and the Czechia forward scores. Kiwior losing his man in the middle.

19:31TOM CANTON

Mexican waves are going!

A classic Emirates-friendly environment here. People from all over coming together as one and having a great time. A much-needed escape.

Arsenal changes

Gabriel, White and Havertz are coming off.

Heaven, Nichols and Nketiah come on.

19:22KEY EVENT

GOAL! Arsenal 4-0 Leverkusen (Havertz)

Awful defending but Havertz has his goal and Nwaneri and Saka were involved in the build-up.

Xhaka assist! the former Arsenal man trying to stick a foot out to stop Saka’s cross puts it straight into Havertz’s path who slots it into the back of the net.

Arsenal changes

Nwaneri and Partey are coming on.

Jorginho and Odegaard make way.

Tella at it again on the right-hand side as Leverkusen beat the high line. Ball in behind again finds Tella who has to hit the target but puts his shot wide.

Another Leverkusen chance

Out of nothing really, a long ball over the top from Wirtz looks for Tella who collides with Gabriel in the box. The ball goes wide.

Balocian and Andrich coming on for Leverkusen.. As are Hlozek and Arthur.

Havertz down

Good work from Havertz to take on Tah from a long Raya ball. He goes down in the area under pressure but the referee says no.

Wide – Tella

Nathan Tella has the first chance of the game. Cross from the left finds the former Arsenal youth player whose connection cannot angle the ball on target and it bounces wide.

Slow start

Not much happening so far this second half. Best play has come from Trossard playing in Declan Rice down the left flank.

Kai Havertz getting some space through the middle but the move broke down.

Changes at half time

Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kiwior and Saka are o

Zinchenko, Saliba, Vieira and Jesus off

Half-time

A very good half from Arsenal that will refill that confidence bar following the game against Liverpool. All three goals were well-worked and highlighted the role of Kai Havertz in the midfield.

Plenty of changes are expected in the second period.

Mikel Arteta instructs his players during the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Emirates Stadium

18:44TOM CANTON

Leverkusen pressure

Finally the opposition are having more of the ball here. The first time they have had any presence in the Arsenal half but it is being dealt with very well for the moment. Zinchenko doing a good job in particular.

Adli has the first shot for them, Raya equal to it but Arteta was not happy.

18:37KEY EVENT

GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Leverkusen (Jesus)

He has his goal!

He runs, and runs and runs… and no one stops him. From the left to the middle a strike, low from outside the box he fires bottom left… the keeper should have a stronger hand there though

Zinny chance!

Zinchenko again this time with a header that looked to be a set-up but ended up being a shot

Leverkusen clear but the Gunners keep coming and find Havertz. His pass back tries to see a Jesus run but it is overhit

Big tackle!

From one bad tackle to a great one. Gabriel slides in on the left as Leverkusen threatened, canonning the ball off his opponent and out for a goal kick

Havertz down

A chance for a break in play as Havertz goes to ground. He looks to be okay but was holding his left leg, in his knee area. A collision in the air saw him land awkwardly

Yellow… no it’s a friendly

Not to Gabriel though who scythes down Frimpong and were this a competitive match, he probably would have got a booking.

More dominance from Arsenal. The crowd are baying for Trossard to shoot and he obliges at it goes low to the left but Kovar pushes it round the post. Corner

Strong start from Arsenal

Our chief Arsenal correspondent Kaya Kaynak live at Emirates Stadium:

At the halfway stage of the first half it’s going pretty well for Arsenal. They’ve dominated what is a decent opponent in Bayer Leverkusen and look they could score more than just the two they’ve got so fa

Kai Havertz has been at the heart of most of the good stuff they’ve done, but the whole front line is looking good. A little shout out for Fabio Vieira who has looked alright on the right wing here.

The first is to the goalkeeper but tah gets his head to it. Very close as Havertz was waiting to head home.

The second is headed away easily. Shame that

18 – The ball falls to Odegaard on the edge of the box following more good work from Trossard. This time it is blocked and Leverkusen escape

18:13TOM CANTON

Havertz at the double

Havertz with both assists for the two goals. Starting in midfield again and showing exactly why Mikel Arteta clearly sees something in him there.

18:09KEY EVENT

GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Leverkusen (Trossard)

Another

Leverkusen are caught in their own half by Trossard. He finds Odegaard who lays in Jesus, little flick to Havertz who passes it to his right to Trossard again who is waiting and he takes a touch and finishe

18:07KEY EVENT

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Leverkusen (Zinchenko)

Arsenal have the lead!

Really well-worked goal this by Arsenal. Move from the left-hand side, Havertz fires the cross and it is left by Trossard. Zinchenko hits it first time and slams it into the bottom corner.Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Emirates

An) early cross from Trossard is cut out by Kovar but Arsenal keep pressing.

Forcing Leverkusen into the corner and trying to force them into a defensive mistake deep in their own half

Here we go! Time to kick-off the first game back at the Emirates Stadium ahead of the new season.

An interesting team and the potential to see the likes of Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice later in the game

Players are coming out!

We are closing in on kick-off! Plenty of families with their youngens here today which is wonderful to see!

Good to see Granit Xhaka back at the Emirates and he starts today

There is less than two weeks until Arsenal kick start their Premier League campaign with the visit of Wolves.

The Gunners have returned from their pre-season tour of the United States – drawing against Bournemouth, securing a victory over Manchester United before losing to Liverpool – and are now preparing for their final two friendlies. Mikel Arteta’s side host Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday before entertaining Lyon at the Emirates this weekend.

As well as their work on the pitch, Arteta will be keen to get his squad as prepared off it – and that could include securing more incomings. David Raya has already made his loan move permanent in a £27million switch from Brentford, while Riccardo Calafiori has joined from Bologna for around £42m. Elsewhere, there could be players going the other way, after Emile Smith Rowe left to join Fulham in a deal worth up to £34m

With this in mind, football.londontakes a look at some of the latest Arsenal news and gossip that has been making headlines over the last 24 hours.