MIKEL ARTETA’S goal-crazy Arsenal tin odor the 4th finals with a stunning effect that eclipsed 1 of the top European nights successful their history.
Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles battered Inter Milan 5-1 astatine the San Siro backmost successful November 2003 – Thierry Henry moving rings astir Javier Zanetti and co.
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GettyTwenty 2 years connected and a woeful PSV outfit could person done with Zanetti – adjacent astatine his existent property of 51 – astatine the backmost arsenic the Gunners went 2 amended with a seven-goal Euro humbling.
In fact, they were the archetypal squad EVER to people 7 successful an distant knockout tie.
While Wenger had Henry, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg astatine his disposal, Arteta has pulled disconnected the aforesaid feat without a recognised striker and Mikel Merino starring the line.
The Spanish midfielder got successful connected the enactment – alongside Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard, Riccardo Calafiori and a Martin Odegaard treble successful this Eindhoven rout.
It is the archetypal clip Arsenal person ever scored much than 3 goals successful a Champions League knock-out crippled distant from home.
Regardless, Arteta volition beryllium praying to person the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli backmost for a near-confirmed blockbuster past 8 clash with either Real Madrid oregon Atletico Madrid next month.
The past gathering betwixt these 2 successful December 2023 produced 1 of the dullest radical signifier dead-rubbers successful surviving memory, finishing 1-1.
Fifteen months on, PSV’s Philips Stadion redeemed itself by hosting a existent humdinger of a past 16 archetypal limb necktie with goals, gaffes and gasps aplenty – mostly successful Arsenal’s favour.
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JURRIEN TIMBER OPENS THE SCORING FOR ARSENAL 
A towering header from the Dutchman puts the visitors successful beforehand successful Eindhoven.#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/3EzjTWAtyG
ETHAN NWANERI DOUBLES ARSENAL'S LEAD 
Minutes aft going up 1-0, the teen finds the backmost of nett to treble the advantage.#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/paMpBjrYNm
The Dutch giants did their champion to springiness the Gunners a near-perfect cleanable European away-day with immoderate diabolical defending.
But Arteta’s boys this word emotion to flirt with information arsenic Myles Lewis-Skelly someway escaped a THIRD reddish paper successful 38 days for 2 quick-fire fouls earlier being hauled disconnected aft 35 minutes.
A comical implosion from the hosts successful their ain backyard should person seen the visitors location and hosed successful Eindhoven aft Merino’s 31st infinitesimal onslaught to marque it 3-0.
But an unnecessary clothesline of Luuk de Jong successful the container from Thomas Partey handed PSV a lifeline successful the signifier of a Noa Lang punishment conscionable earlier the break.
Arteta labelled this a “big moment” successful Arsenal’s season, and 1 tin lone ideate the size of the meltdown had they someway managed to muck this 1 up.
Luckily for them, they saved 1 of their champion performances for months to look a squad with leakier foundations than Old Trafford.
Within 2 minutes of the 2nd half, Odegaard and Leandro Trossard ensured it was occupation done – the Arsenal skipper grabbing different precocious on.
Arsenal ratings vs PSV arsenic Nwaneri comes of property successful Champions League drubbing but rash Lewis-Skelly is hooked early
ARSENAL steamrolled a hapless PSV broadside to all-but publication their spot successful the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Gunners started without a recognised striker erstwhile again but dissimilar astatine Nottingham Forest past week, goals were not a occupation successful Eindhoven.
A quick-fire treble from Jurrien Timber and Ethan Nwaneri astir the 20th infinitesimal enactment the Gunners successful power successful what was an assured display.
Every Arsenal subordinate impressed and they were objective with their finishing.
Only Myles Lewis-Skelly volition consciousness a small disappointed arsenic helium was hooked aft fractional an hr to debar him picking up a 2nd yellow.
It was a shame arsenic the youngster was performing good connected the shot – helium played a cardinal relation successful the build-up to the opening goal.
But helium could not beryllium trusted by Mikel Arteta aft helium dived and caught his antheral with a situation that could easy person resulted successful a 2nd booking.
It was different careless infinitesimal that allowed PSV backmost into the lucifer arsenic Thomas Partey conceded a punishment that was converted connected the stroke of half-time.
But the Gunners did not remainder connected their laurels and came retired racing aft the break, scoring doubly successful 2 minutes to enactment the match, and the tie, to bed.
Here is however SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rated the Gunners’ display…
LEANDRO TROSSARD ADDS ANOTHER TO ARSENAL'S TALLY 
The visitors are moving chaotic successful Eindhoven!#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/kpFUkv01it
Whisper it quietly, but successful this benignant of form, could Arsenal nutrient a peculiar European travel this season? Perhaps, but they volition travel up against amended defences than this successful their ain grooming sessions.
Arteta made 2 changes from the drab 0-0 showing astatine Nottingham Forest past week, bringing successful Lewis-Skelly for Calafiori and Partey for Jorginho.
And contempt failing to people successful their past 2 Prem outings with the makeshift beforehand 3 of Trossard, Nwaneri and Merino, that trio was entrusted again for this one.
Nwaneri’s commencement broke much records, becoming Arsenal’s youngest ever subordinate astatine 17 years and 348 days to commencement successful a Champions League knock-out crippled and the 3rd youngest Englishman to bash truthful aft Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.
17 years old, and performing connected the large signifier 
Nwaneri grabbed his 2nd Champions League extremity successful the THRASHING of PSV 
Watch the Champions League Highlights amusement connected @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/qwXZJ56WHh
The teen started with a swagger, a beauteous transverse to the acold station astir putting it connected a sheet for Gabriel, portion Odegaard had a tame outcry for a punishment waved distant aft a VAR check.
Arsenal were purring. Declan Rice recovered the nett but for a precise choky automated offside call.
It astir came backmost to wound them with PSV’s 1 and lone decent accidental successful the 16th minute – Ismael Saibari smacking the station with an unfastened extremity gaping and Flamingo firing wide.
Two minutes aboriginal and Arsenal were up – Rice’s peach of a transportation headed successful by Timber.
The distant extremity was inactive bouncing erstwhile Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri instantly combined to adhd another.
But keeping with caller form, Lewis-Skelly, 18, showed his immaturity with 2 clumsy tackles wrong 2 minutes that should person resulted successful a reddish card.
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Spanish ref Jesus Gil Manzano decided to amusement unthinkable leniency.
That was capable of a informing for Arteta, wisely subbing disconnected the kid successful the 35th minute for Calafiori.
The worst defending of the batch gave Merino a 3rd extremity successful 4 games successful each competitions, Flamingo laughably falling implicit connected 1 limb similar a… flamingo.
The punishment for Lang would person angered Arteta, but helium was soon smiling again successful the 2nd fractional with PSV keeper Walter Benitez gifting Odegaard 1 earlier Trossard tucked distant by the 48th minute.
Even the Arsenal fans were losing count, deliriously truthful up successful the heavens. Odegaard made it 7 successful the 73rd minute and Calafiori successful the 85th minute.
Eat your bosom out, Arsene. This is simply a REAL Champions League romp.
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