For the first time since 2016/17, the Emirates Stadium will enjoy a Champions League night as Arsenal and PSV Eindhoven go head-to-head in their Group B opener.
With out-of-sorts Lens and downtrodden Sevilla forming the remainder of this group, this could be an early top-table six-pointer, with the Gunners tipped to steamroll to a top-place finish.
Mikel Arteta cannot take anything for granted as he gears up for his touchline debut in Europe’s most prestigious competition after guiding the London giants to a runner-up finish in the Premier League last term.
Given Arsenal’s near-perfect five-game league start (W4, D1) and a Community Shield win over Manchester City in the build-up, last season’s high finish was no fluke.
However, they still have a point to prove in the Champions League, where they’ve made it out of the group stages in all 14 previous campaigns under the current format.
Buzzing from a stellar domestic start, PSV will touch down in London in a buoyant mood, looking to throw a spanner in the works after beating Rangers 7-3 on aggregate in qualification play-offs.
In addition to helping the Eindhoven outfit secure their Champions League return for the first time since 2018/19, new manager Peter Bosz has overseen an outrageous start in the Eredivisie.
Seeking their first league title since 2017/18, his men have won all four top-flight matches by a combined score of 13-1, including a 4-0 thumping of NEC Nijmegen at the weekend.
Match Preview
PSV’s form in the early season indicates this may not be another day in the office for Arsenal, but the Gunners have proved well-versed in finding a way out of tricky situations this term.
They have claimed a brace of narrow 1-0 wins at traditionally unpleasant visits to Crystal Palace and Everton and toppled fierce rivals Manchester United 3-1 in the most dramatic circumstances.
More of the same will be required if they are to turn their dismal fortunes against PSV around, having won just one of their last five match-ups in major European competitions (D2, L2).
Arteta’s side seem well-positioned to make that happen Wednesday after racking up a four-game unbeaten run at the Emirates (W3, D1), not to mention scoring an average of three games per match in that sequence.
Despite being backed to win the group, Arsenal cannot afford to get complacent before the start, especially against a side as prolific as PSV, who have piled up 13 goals in their last three outings (W3).
Bosz’s third Champions League group stage campaign as a manager begins at the best possible moment for his team, boosting his bid to orchestrate another dream European run.
After Borussia Dortmund relieved him of his duties following a winless 2017/18 Champions League group phase (D2, L4), he guided Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon to the Europa League quarter-finals.
His decent European resume may not be enough to salvage PSV from a first disappointment in the new campaign, with the Peasants going scoreless on three of their four competitive visits to Arsenal (D2, L2).
Team News
Arsenal eked out a ‘Pyrrhic victory’ at Goodison Park on Sunday as they lost Gabriel Martinelli to injury, with the Brazilian joining Mohamed Elneny, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey on the sidelines.
Fredrik Oppegard is the only definite absentee in the visiting camp, although Armando Obispo and Mauro Junior could stay at home to complete their recovery.
Arsenal potential starting line-up:
(4-3-3): Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Fabio Vieira; Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus.
PSV Eindhoven potential starting line-up:
(3-4-3): Walter Benitez; Armel Bella-Kotchap, Olivier Boscagli, Jordan Teze; Joey Veerman, Ibrahim Sangare, Jerdy Schouten, Ismael Saibari; Noa Lang, Johan Bakayoko, Luuk de Jong.
We Say: Arsenal 3-1 PSV Eindhoven
While all the previous meetings between Arsenal and PSV in London have been low-scoring affairs, we expect that trend to end with an emphatic Gunners win.
