Arsenal put their recent scoring problems behind them with an emphatic 7-1 win over PSV on a historic Champions League night in Eindhoven.
The Gunners went into the game facing questions about their firepower but goals from Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri and Mikel Merino put Mikel Arteta’s team three up before the break and Noa Lang’s penalty proved to be a false down for pitiful PSV.
Martin Odegaard scored either side of Leandro Trossard’s dinked finish in the second half to put this round of 16 tie well beyond the Dutch side even before next week’s second leg in London. Riccardo Calafiori made it a magnificent seven to cap the night.
In doing so, Arsenal became the first team to score seven goals away from home in a Champions League knockout tie. A quarter-final with the winner of the Madrid derby awaits amid renewed hope that the Gunners can enjoy a special end to this season.
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Tim Sherwood reacts to Arsenal’s first three goals against PSV in Eindhoven
Arsenal began brightly with Odegaard having a penalty shout and Declan Rice seeing a goal disallowed for offside even before Timber headed them in front. Nwaneri combined with Myles Lewis-Skelly for the second and makeshift striker Merino made it three.
PSV’s defence looked porous but Ismael Saibari had the hit the crossbar at the other end and they pulled one back before the break when Lang converted from the spot after Thomas Partey was adjudged to have tussled unfairly with Luuk de Jong.
Arteta had plenty to think about, substituting Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 35th minute after he was extremely fortunate to dodge a second yellow card, but any fears of a PSV revival were to put to bed quickly after the interval, completely overwhelming their opponents.
With talk of their season being on the line having fallen off the pace in the Premier League, the Gunners put memories of that goalless draw at Nottingham Forest firmly behind them and offered a reminder that they are contenders for Europe’s biggest prize.
Tougher tests lie ahead but Arsenal boast the Premier League’s best defence and with six different players finding the back of the net in this game, perhaps they can find the answers at the other end of the pitch between them. The European dream is alive.
Analysis: Arsenal enjoy the carnival
Sky Sports News’ Gail Davis at Philips Stadion:
After spending almost every waking moment over the last few days talking about Arsenal’s inability to score, they go out and put seven past PSV.
There is a context around the result of course and that was the dire defending from the home side, truly awful at times but Arsenal and Arteta won’t care.
Three goals in 13 minutes, 99 seconds between Arsenal’s fourth and fifth seizing the momentum they had created and then surviving the wobble just before half-time would have pleased Arteta.
Odegaard would have enjoyed his double after a difficult few months, Rice looked back to his menacing best and Nwaneri is an absolute joy to watch in full flight – nothing seems to faze this teenager and he isn’t afraid to take the shot on.
It was smart by Arteta to pull Lewis-Skelly out of the firing line – he has done so much good this season it would be sad to see it overshadowed with more disciplinary problems.
I was worried whether the game could live up to the drama, the spectacular and the sparkle of the warm up act of the Eindhoven carnival – no such problem.
