ARTETA SAYS ARSENAL ENERGISED BY LAST-16 CLASH WITH PSV – Premier League title hopes hanging by a thread after falling 13 points behind
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says Tuesday’s (March 4) Champions League last 16 first leg away at PSV Eindhoven will create a ‘different energy’ for his team after their recent Premier League slump. The London club arrived in the Netherlands with their Premier League title hopes hanging by a thread after falling 13 points behind leaders runaway Liverpool.
Arsenal played PSV twice in the group stages last season, winning 4-0 at home and drawing 1-1 away. They will need no reminding that the last time they played the 25-times Dutch title winners in the knockout phase of the Champions League they were eliminated, losing 1-0 away before being held to a 1-1 draw at The Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal have been deprived of all their recognised forwards in recent weeks with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli joining long-term injured Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines. They failed to score in their last two Premier League games, losing 1-0 to West Ham United and then drawing 0-0 with Nottingham Forest at the weekend. PSV have hardly been in great form themselves either, with one win in their last seven Eredivisie games leaving them trailing rivals Ajax Amsterdam by eight points.
