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LONDON. – Arsene Wenger hailed the goalscoring instincts of Lucas Perez after Arsenal’s Champions League soccer win over Basel on Tuesday night. The Gunners claimed a 4-1 win at St Jakob Park to top Group A and set up a potentially easier last-16 tie. For Perez, it was the best night of his Arsenal career so far as he bagged a hat-trick on his first start in European competition for the north London outfit.

The £17m summer signing from Deportivo La Coruna followed up two close-range finishes with a clinical strike shortly after the break to all but put the game to bed.

And although they were by no means the most difficult goals Perez will ever score, Wenger, whose side scored their fourth goal of the night through Alex Iwobi, was quick to single out the striker for praise.

The Frenchman said: “The first two looked like quite easy goals, and were what we call tap-ins in England, but they were created by the team and you have to be there to finish.

“The first goal is a real striker’s goal.

“He scored more than 20 goals in Spain last season and he has shown why. He has an eye for goal and good movement in the box, which is why he scores.” – The Daily Star.