It was probably always going to be a barometer for Arsenal, as much as anything else. How would they compete with Paris Saint-Germain, one of the strongest teams in the Champions League? Very good, was the answer.

On a night designed to reinforce collective belief in the greater challenges that lie ahead, particularly those that are sure to come after the group stage of this competition has finally reached its climax, Arsenal showed their strength in physical duels and with all their might Skills to delight your home audience.

Kai Havertz scored with a powerful header and when Bukayo Saka fired a free-kick through a mass of bodies in the PSG penalty area and past the sighted Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 35th minute, Arsenal knew they had to lose.

They would endure a few horrors towards the end; A PSG goal could have made it interesting. But overall there was a feeling that PSG had too many touches and not enough bite. It was Arsenal who made the statement.

Arteta stuck with the starting XI in Saturday’s win over Leicester and the tactical battle was riveting. Arsenal led the battle with Havertz and Leandro Trossard at the top of their formation – each given permission to drop – while it was apparent early on that Riccardo Calafiori wanted to step up and move from left-back to central midfield.

How important was the result really? It’s hard to imagine any of these teams failing to progress and it feels like no one yet knows where the danger lies in this new-look group stage. The PSG ultras were in the mood to make the event even more intense. 25 minutes before kick-off they bounced off like a seething mass; As always, the drumbeat from their enclosure was constant.

It was the Arsenal fan who celebrated in the 20th minute. After all the initial niceties, it was an old-fashioned play with an old-fashioned finish that broke the deadlock. Havertz rose high to reach Trossard’s chipped ball from the inside left in front of Donnarumma. It was brave of Havertz; He risked harm when Donnarumma brought his massive body off the line.

Luis Enrique had made a statement before the game, leaving Ousmane Dembélé out of his PSG squad; The pair met after the win over Rennes last Friday. The manager accused Dembélé, arguably his most famous player, of disrespecting the team, reinforcing the message being spread around the club these days. No more Galacticos. Less ego; more commitment and unity. Still, it was a move that undoubtedly weakened PSG.

PSG could point to a shot from Nuno Mendes that kissed the outside of the far post and an attempt from Achraf Hakimi that saw David Raya shoot over his own crossbar. The first half otherwise belonged to Arsenal. They were determined to show why Luis Enrique had described them as the best team in Europe without the ball. Calafiori and Jurrien Timber won big duels against Hakimi and Bradley Barcola, respectively; Gabriel Magalhães celebrated as he shot the ball into the goal ahead of Warren Zaire-Emery.

But it was really about what Arsenal did in the final third before half-time. Saka had rolled past the goal early after a pass from Calafiori, while Havertz crossed dangerously from the baseline without anyone in red making the necessary run-up. Arsenal turned the screws at 1-0 and it was another set piece that gave them a cushion.

PSG were accused of not doing their homework when Saka headed over a low free-kick from the right. One by one, Arsenal players attacked the ball and got into Donnarumma’s eyeline; first Gabriel Martinelli, then Gabriel and Thomas Partey. It just went all the way through and in. It was terribly soft from PSG’s point of view and they were thankful things didn’t get worse shortly afterwards when Donnarumma blocked Trossard from close range.

PSG wanted Vitinha to dictate in front of the back four; He had runners on both sides: Zaire-Emery and João Neves. It’s nice to see how Vitinha assesses his perspectives and possibilities, often in a very small space. More broadly, the strut could be seen at PSG. They needed more than just decoration.

Arsenal should have made it 3-0 at the start of the second half, with Martinelli and Havertz wasting their chances. Martinelli’s was the big one. It was a lovely one-touch movement from right to left, starting with Saka, who was excellent from the start – so explosive, so direct – and then moving on through Trossard and Havertz. Martinelli was all alone, only to shoot straight at Donnarumma. The goalkeeper would be grateful if Havertz made a downward header after a cross from Martinelli.

Arteta brought in Mikel Merino as a replacement for a delayed debut as the summer signing finally recovered from a shoulder injury, but PSG pushed ahead in the closing stages. Arsenal seemed happy to invite them in to preserve what they had and there were nervous moments. Neves shot a corner down and high against the crossbar, while Raya made a somewhat risky save on a curler from Lee Kang-in.

Martinelli was again denied by Donnarumma, the goalkeeper to his left made a fine save and PSG knew it would not be their night when a loose ball hit Calafiori’s hand and the referee, Slavko Vincic, ignored their penalty calls.