In the previous two meetings, Arsenal failed to win the away leg, drawing 1-1 last season and losing 2-0 the season before. The clashes occurred in the group stage of the Europa League and Champions League, and this is the first time since 2007 the pair have faced each other in the knockout rounds of any competition.
PSV managed to knock out the then-Champions League finalists of the previous season 2-1 on aggregate with Thierry Henry’s lack of match fitness overshadowing the tie and proving costly. Fast-forward 18 years, and again the Gunners are missing their main centre-forward, and three others too, including the talismanic Bukayo Saka.
However, they should be encouraged by the fact that Peter Bosz's side have somewhat fallen off a cliff in terms of form. Having led the way in the Eredivisie so comfortably, they have now fallen well off the pacesetters, Ajax.
Losing 3-2 to Go Ahead Eagles, who moved up to seventh with the win, this was the second defeat inside a week to their opponents who stunned the Philips Stadion, knocking them out of the KNVB Cup on Wednesday night.
PSV still scored three goals across the two matches, and this is where they will take encouragement when facing Arsenal. The Gunners are having such bad troubles in the final third that should they concede, it is hard to see them finding a way back.
That said, PSV defensively have been very rocky, and Arteta will know his side's aerial threat from crosses and set-pieces could prove a big differential for the match. Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice, William Saliba, Ethan Nwaneri and Mikel Merino will be practicing plenty as they also get additional days of rest, recovery and preparation compared to their Dutch opponents after Arsenal had a weekend off from playing.
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