Arsenal finished top of Champions League Group A thanks to a Lucas Perez hat-trick in Basel and Paris St-Germain’s draw with Ludogorets Razgrad.
PSG would have sealed top spot with victory, with anything less allowing in the Gunners, who took control through two Perez tap-ins.
Perez drove in his third from the edge of the box and Alex Iwobi rolled in a fourth before Seydou Doumbia cut through for a Basel consolation.
“I thought Ludogorets were a good side – they made a great result that helps us top the group, which was what we wanted,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
“We did the job in a convincing way, we were mobile and overall had a committed performance.
“I think (Lucas) Perez took advantage of the fact we created good chances – he is a goalscorer you know, he has shown tonight he has a good smell for the goal.”
Lucas’s only goals since joining Arsenal were a brace in a League Cup win over Nottingham Forest in September, since when he has rarely featured because of an ankle injury.
It did not take him long to double that tally though as Arsenal tore into their hosts.
Lucas opened the scoring after eight minutes when Sanchez’s chipped pass found Kieran Gibbs and his low cross was missed by Eder Balanta, giving the Spaniard the easiest of tap-ins.
Eight minutes later Arsenal were cruising when Gibbs’ cross-shot was parried by keeper Tomas Vaclik and Lucas swept home following a move involving 33 passes – the most in the build-up to a goal so far in this season’s competition.
A 2-2 draw in Paris left Arsenal top of a group for the first time since 2011-12.
Arsene Wenger’s side failed to make it past the last 16 that year, and have fallen at the first knockout stage in each of the past six seasons.
Aside from breaking their run of second-placed group finishes, the Gunners have also gone through a group stage unbeaten for the first time since they reached the final in 2005-06.