PSV vs Arsenal Predictions

• PSV have lost only one of their last 17 home Champions League games
• Arsenal have won only three of their last 10 road games in this competition
• PSV have drawn 1-1 and won 2-0 in their last two home games against the Gunners

Arsenal seek silver lining in Champions League

PSV Eindhoven can prevent Arsenal from taking a lead back to London for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie when the two clubs renew acquaintances at Philips Stadion on Tuesday. These two clubs have met four times during Mikel Arteta’s reign at Emirates Stadium with Arsenal failing to win on either of their trips to Eindhoven.

Arteta fielded much-changed lineups on both previous occasions but will go in as strong as he can for this one after Arsenal’s free weekend. The Gunners lost ground in the title race when they drew 0-0 at Nottingham Forest last week and the Champions League now looks like being their best hope for a first piece of major silverware in five years.

The pressure is ramping up on Arteta with last month’s training ground injury to Kai Havertz leaving him woefully short of goal threats during a crucial phase of the campaign. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli won’t be available until April while Havertz and Gabriel Jesus could be done for the season.

Arteta’s goals miscalculation could hold Gunners back 

Arteta’s belief that Arsenal would score enough goals without a recognised number nine in his preferred selection now appears to be a miscalculation. They have dropped points in half a dozen away Premier League games against top-half clubs when failing to score enough goals.

And that does not augur well for this trip to the Netherlands, where PSV have been excellent in this competition. Peter Bosz’s men are unbeaten across their last 11 home Champions League games and have suffered only one defeat in their last 17 at Philips Stadion, including qualifying round ties.

They may be in poor form domestically after back-to-back cup and league defeats to Go Ahead Eagles, but they showed they can rise to the big occasion when storming back to beat Juventus in extra-time last month. The stats from that game tell one story as PSV dominated from the start and could have put the tie to bed before extra time, but the atmosphere the home fans generated boosted their energy levels in the subsequent half hour.

Lang looks like PSV’s prime threat

PSV have dangerous players in their ranks with Noa Lang capable of moments of magic and Luuk de Jong offering a focal point to their attacks. Attacking midfielder Guus Til will also be a key figure because of his physical presence when attacking and defending set plays.

The Dutch champions deserve plenty of respect for their recent European exploits and Arteta’s side ought to afford them plenty after their recent fruitless trips to the Netherlands. Back PSV to avoid defeat in Tuesday’s clash with the Gunners lacking the potency up front to truly trouble them if they can field their strongest back four.

Lang and Til are good anytime goalscorer options for this clash with the former just preferred because he will be looking to prove a point to a club that showed interest but never followed through by signing him in the past. A 1-1 draw may be considered a decent result for the Gunners to take back to the Emirates Stadium and they should be able to get it if they control the midfield.