Arsenal’s long-serving former director was instrumental in the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, and Arteta said the performance would have pleased a man whose influence shaped the club for decades.
“That's for him,” Arteta said. “I'm sure that he has enjoyed the win, the manner that the team played. I know that he was very, very proud about the position of the club right now, the players that we have and the unity and the connection that we have built.”
The Arsenal manager spoke emotionally about meeting Friar and learning from his experience.
“It's a really sad day. When I woke up, I received a call from Richard Garlick to let me know that Ken had passed away. I had the honour to meet him, to spend time with him, to learn from him.”
Arteta added that Friar’s legacy extended well beyond his formal responsibilities.
“His legacy is enormous; it was an absolute pleasure to spend time with him. He's going to be missed, but the good thing is that he's left a legacy. He's going to live forever with this football club and everybody that has come across him.”
Arsenal had to work patiently before turning their dominance into goals. After a goalless first half, Jurrien Timber opened the scoring in the 64th minute, Ebere Eze doubled the advantage three minutes later and substitute Bukayo Saka completed the 3-0 victory in the 71st minute.
Arteta was delighted by the quality of the decisive spell, which secured a second win from two Champions League matches.
“It was a big change, especially in the execution and the technical quality of actions, especially in and around the final third,” he said.
“In the first half we got into so many dangerous positions but we really didn't make much of that, and that allowed giveaways in areas where the opposition can run and lead really good transition moments.”
The manager said Arsenal’s improvement came through sharper execution and better occupation of attacking spaces.
“But the moment that technically we increased, we made a little adjustment to have different players occupying certain spaces and we got connected with each other. It was just a joy to watch, and the three goals were brilliant.”
Saka’s impact off the bench was particularly welcome after the winger had been unwell before the match.
“He wasn’t ready to start, but he was really keen to contribute to the team if it was needed,” Arteta said. “He came on, had a real impact, with real quality.”
Arsenal now turn their attention to Nottingham Forest before their next Champions League challenge, away to Bayern Munich.