Sponsored content, GambleAware, 18+
While Arsenal watch the Premier League title slip away, the North London side must turn their attention to the Champions League and their first knockout game against PSV Eindhoven. The Gunners go into the game with one win in their last five matches, exacerbating their striker crisis by not scoring in three of those five.
Having already navigated one round of the newly formatted Champions League - beating Juventus in extra time - PSV go into the first leg against Arsenal buoyed by one giant killing and hoping for another. Their form has been poor lately, losing twice last week to Go Ahead Eagles in both the league and cup.
They have won one of their previous six games in all competitions and, like Arsenal, sit in second place, watching the league ebb further away.
PSV vs Arsenal Key information
• Date: Tuesday, March 4th
• Kick-off time: 8pm GMT
• Venue: Philips Stadion, Eindhoven
• Referee: Jesus Gil Manzano
• VAR: Carlos del Cerro Grande
• TV channel: Amazon Prime Video (UK)
• Odds: PSV (12/5) - DRAW (5/2) - ARS (21/20)
Arsenal team news
Arsenal have no new injury concerns after their last game, a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest in midweek. Riccardo Calafiori was substituted at half-time in that match, but only as a precaution, as he received a yellow card in the second minute. Ethan Nwaneri also came off in that game with a potential injury, but Mikel Arteta explained in his post-match news conference that it was due to cramp and fatigue.
In that same press conference, Arteta said that he does not think that Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will be back soon, but he did hint that he was hopeful the duo would be after the international break at the beginning of April. Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Takehiro Tomiyaso remain long-term absentees.
Arsenal predicted lineup v PSV, (4-3-3)
Coach: Mikel Arteta
Raya; Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Trossard, Merino, Nwaneri.
PSV team news
PSV also have no new injury concerns coming into the game against Arsenal. The team got through their two games against G.A. Eagles last week unscathed physically but probably not mentally after losing twice in three days.
PSV announced that influential attacking midfielder Malik Tillman is sidelined for the foreseeable future with a serious ankle injury sustained during their 5-4 KNVB Cup win against Excelsior in mid-January. However, head coach Peter Bosz revealed recently that Tillman may return to action this season, but this fixture comes too early.
PSV’s recent recruit, Lucas Perez, is ineligible to play against his old club as he was not included in their Champions League squad. They submitted their updated squad before their play-off clash with Juventus, with Perez signed after this date and the squad being unable to be edited after.
PSV predicted lineup v Arsenal, (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Peter Bosz
Benitez; Ledezma, Flamingo, Boscagli, Malacia; Veerman, Schouten; Bakayoko, Saibari, Lang; De Jong
Where to watch
In the UK, you can watch the first leg of this Champions League tie between PSV and Arsenal on Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Prime has the rights to show one live match from each matchweek of the UEFA Champions League, getting first pick of the Tuesday night matches.
Head-to-Head record
With both teams heading into this game not in the best of form, both will hope that it is a good time to play the other. Arsenal and PSV have met in European competitions in the past two seasons, being in each other's Champions League group last season and in the same Europa League group the season before.
In the 2023/24 Champions League, Arsenal won the first encounter at the Emirates in October before the reverse fixture saw the teams draw 1-1 at the Philips Stadion. In the 2022/23 Europa League group stages, Arsenal beat PSV 1-0 at the Emirates before PSV got revenge, winning 2-0 in the reverse fixture.
That was only PSV’s second win over Arsenal in their last 10 fixtures in European competitions, stretching back all the way to the 2002 Champions League. Arsenal have four victories in that period but only one of those wins has come when they play away.
Odds for PSV vs Arsenal
PSV have the opportunity to turn fortunes around against a weakened Arsenal side who do not have the strongest record at the Philips Stadion. Further encouragement will be taken from PSV’s unbeaten record in their last nine UCL home games.
Arsenal have not scored in their last two games in the Premier League and go into the game without a recognised first-team striker. Mikel Merino has filled in recently, but after scoring a brace against Leicester, he has not looked like scoring again. As worringly for the Gunners is the fact they have failed to keep a clean sheet in 13 of their last 14 UCL away games as well, painting a potentially scary picture.
According to bet365, the odds for a PSV win are 12/5, 5/2 for a draw, and 21/20 for an Arsenal win.
Odds correct at time of writing