Arsenal (5) 2-0 (0) Fenerbahce: Ramsey Double Sends Gunners Through

Arsenal cruised into the Champions League group stage for a 16<sup>th consecutive season after Aaron Ramsey scored either side of half-time to humble Fenerbahce at the Emirates Stadium.

Ramsey netted after 25 minutes from close range before a delightful volley in the second half added to Arsenal's three-goal cushion from the first leg and sealed an emphatic aggregate victory over the Turkish Super Lig runners-up, who offered little throughout.

Victory puts Arsenal into Friday's group stage draw and is a welcome boost for manager Arsene Wenger upon whom the pressure has increased following a difficult start to the campaign and the failure to land a series of high-profile transfer targets.

However, the victory was marred by injury to Lukas Podolski ahead of the weekend's north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, a blow which will once again reaffirm the necessity for Wenger to move decisively in the remaining days of the window.

Goals from Kieran Gibbs, Ramsey and Olivier Giroud had given The Gunners impressive 3-0 win in Istanbul a week ago and Weneger had the luxury of welcoming back Jack Wilshere from the start after his omission against Fulham while Laurent Koscileny returned to the bench.

Fenerbahce boss Ersun Yanal rung the changes following his side's capitulation in the first leg, with Joseph Yobo's omission among six changes while Nigerian forward Emmanuel Emenike spearheaded the attack.

In front of a crowd someway short of capacity at the Emirates Stadium, the visitors began intent on finding the goal which would give them a life-line in the tie and it almost came inside a quarter of an hour when after Carl Jenkinson was disposed inside his own half, the ball ricocheted off Raul Meireles from Bacary Sagna's cross and forced Wojciech Szczesny into a reflex save.

The near miss sparked the hosts into action; Theo Walcott testing Volkan Demirel with a stinging drive while Giroud's radar was slightly askew when he curled wide.

But just past the mid-way point in the first half Arsenal got the goal which put beyond doubt their participation in this season's Champions League group stage as Podolski fed through Walcott and when the ball broke across the face of goal, Ramsey slotted into an empty net.

Despite Szczesny's calamitous goalkeeping amid pressure from Emenike at the other end, the chances continued to flow for the Gunners; Giroud being denied by the onrushing Demirel before the Frenchman headed goalwards as the Turkish stopper laid poleaxed following a corner.

The remainder of the first half didn't go without alarm however as Fenerbahce pressed for a consolation goal in the tie, Emenike being denied by a combination of Szcsesny and the post before being adjudged offside as he forced the Pole into a superb one-handed save.

Injury early in the second half to Podolski, the German international being stretchered from the field, added to Wenger's early season woes and once again accentuated the need for additional resources in the remaining days of the transfer window.

The Frenchman's sole signing in the window, Yaya Sanogo, was introduced after an hour for Giroud to a rapturous applause from the home faithful and he would have seen Arsenal double their lead on the night had Demirel not produced a stunning save to deny Santi Cazorla.

Walcott then came within inches of making it two but his free-kick rattled the cross-bar but soon Arsenal did have their second as Gibbs peeled away and crossed for the unmarked Ramsey whose cushioned volley into the corner left Demirel helpless.

And despite injury to Wilshere in the closing moments, Arsenal saw out the remainder to take their place in Thursday's group stage draw.