Forgotten man Lucas Perez grabs hat-trick to propel Gunners to first place in Champions League group

Lucas Perez made the most of a rare start by scoring a hat-trick in Tuesday’s 4-1 rout of Basel that sent Arsenal through to the Champions League last 16 as group winners.

The Spaniard missed over a month with an ankle injury following his move from Deportivo la Coruna in August but played a leading role in Switzerland as Arsene Wenger’s men stole first place from Paris Saint-Germain in group A.

The French champions were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Bulgaria’s Ludogorets, allowing Arsenal to wrest back top spot and avoid the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the next round.

“We made a great result to be top of this group which is what we wanted,” Wenger told BT Sport.

Perez tapped home from close range following a Kieran Gibbs cross in the eighth minute and the 28-year-old soon added to his tally when the leftback’s low drive was tipped into his path by Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik.

The striker had netted just twice – in a 4-0 EFL Cup victory over Nottingham Forest – since his arrival at Arsenal in a deal worth £17 million (HK$167m).