Aaron Ramsey grabbed a dramatic injury-time winner for Arsenal at the Stade Velodrome after arriving as a substitute to help the Gunners leap-frog Marseille at the top of Group F.
It had looked like Arsene Wenger side’s unusually defensively solid and workmanlikedisplay would be rewarded with a point until Ramsey, returning from a hamstring injury, found himself in space in the Marseille penalty area and coolly planted a low shot past Steve Mandanda.
Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie had earlier come closest to breaking the deadlock.
During a frantically contested first half, both sides could have been given penalties for handballs.
Carl Jenkinson controlled a cross with his arm, while Souleymane Diawara met a Mikel Arteta corner with his hand before clearing Van Persie’s looping header off the line in the same movement.
At the other end, Loic Remy nut-megged Per Mertesacker inside the area but his prodded effort span wide thanks to Jenkinson’s block.
Laurent Koscielny brilliantly tackled a through-on-goal Remy before Lucho Gonzalez flicked wide for the hosts.
Arsenal were a more fluent unit after the break, but chances were still at a premium.
Mandanda kept out Walcott after he was put through by Tomas Rosicky and then denied Van Persie.
But just when it looked like a stalemate was inevitable, Gervinho failed to control Johan Djourou’s cross and Ramsey ghosted in to fire home for the win.
Pictures: Check out more images from the Marseille v Arsenal game
