Bukayo Saka scored one goal and set up another as Arsenal beat Portuguese side Sporting 5-1 in their Champions League match at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Tuesday, their biggest away win in the competition in 21 years.

Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal an early lead before Kai Havertz and Brazilian defender Gabriel added two more goals before half-time as Arsenal overwhelmed their hosts.

Goncalo Inacio pulled a goal back for Sporting early in the second period, but Saka restored Arsenal’s three-goal lead with a penalty and Leandro Trossard added a fifth for their biggest away win in the Champions League since the same-score victory at Inter Milan in 2003 .

Arsenal moved above Sporting to seventh in the 36-team table with 10 points from their five games. The Portuguese team has the same number of points, but is one position behind on goal difference.

“Sporting hasn’t lost here for a long time (13 months), we knew it would be a big challenge,” Saka said. “But we believed we could go out there and put in a good performance and we did that.

“We realized how good they are and that we had to take on the challenge. I’m proud of all the boys, we will be a team that keeps getting stronger and better.”

After a mini slump in recent weeks, Arsenal have enjoyed back-to-back wins and look set to find their best form again, with some of their play in Lisbon simply excellent.

They found plenty of joy on the right wing and their first two goals both came from attacks on that side.

Jurrien Timber’s low cross eluded everyone and set up Martinelli at the back post to give the visitors the lead inside seven minutes.

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Arsenal continued to set the pace and deservedly doubled their lead midway through the first half when Saka burst into the penalty area and poked the ball past Sporting goalkeeper Franco Israel, setting up another easy finish for Havertz.

Sporting’s lively 17-year-old winger Geovany Quenda forced a good save from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya just before half-time in a rare strike for the home side, but they fell further behind in the dying seconds of half-time.

Defender Gabriel met Declan Rice’s corner to allow his side to head further in front and few could argue that Arsenal got full value for their 3-0 lead.

They had hoped for a controlled start to the second half, but instead allowed Sporting a way back into the match.

Francisco Trincao’s corner was met at the front post by Inacio, who smashed into the back of the net to give his side a lifeline.

Arsenal were not nearly as dominant in the second period but earned a penalty when Martin Ødegaard was fouled from behind by Ousmane Diomande and Saka coolly fired the penalty into the bottom right corner.

Substitute Trossard added a fifth with a header after Israel could only parry Mikel Merino’s long-range shot into his path.

“We didn’t start the match well. We conceded a goal very early and that caused unrest within the team,” said Sporting coach Joao Pereira. “The players responded well in the second half, we had a good 20 minutes, but then we conceded a penalty.

“We did good things, but we started the game poorly and that affected the whole game.”