Arsenal put in a stellar team display in Eindhoven, with a brace from Martin Ødegaard and goals from Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori.
The Gunners stunned PSV with a quickfire double around the twenty-minute mark; Timber nodded on Declan Rice’s cross at the far post and Nwaneri fired into the back of the net off Myles Lewis-Skelly’s delivery.
Out-of-position centre-forward Mikel Merino capitalised on a defensive error for the third, while Ødegaard and Trossard scored within one minute of each other following the interval.
Ødegaard doubled his tally with a long-range strike and Calafiori added the misery compiling seventh goal five minutes from full-time.
Arteta praised the players for their desire and efforts, creating a ‘special night’ for themselves, the staff and the supporters who travelled to watch them.
“I really enjoyed the match. Thank you to the players for the performance that they put in. It was a big night for us against a really good side. The way they went through in the last round against Juventus was really impressive. The manner that we've done it, the way we played, the goals that we scored. Thank you because it was a special night.”
The visitors attacked from the start, pressing PSV with intensity and remaining on their toes for any loose balls or mistakes from the Dutch giants.
“We had them ready to take initiative. When you come to this stage, you really have to play and love the game, take the initiative and go for it. And today, we have a full-back on Myles that puts a cross in for the opposite winger. You have Jurrien scoring a header, as a full-back. And we have Ricci [Calafiori] making a movement as a nine and scoring with his right foot. That's what I'm talking about, flow, courage and about playing the way we want to play,” Arteta said.
Speaking about the confidence that this instils in this team after their frustrating run in the past few games, the Arsenal manager said that it will provide ‘joy’ and ‘belief’ for the players.
“Well, it's obviously given us a lot of joy and confidence and belief. In football, it's not what we did three days ago or today, it's going to be what we do tomorrow. We go to Old Trafford, how we behave, how we play and are we able to win a game. That's it, enjoy tonight because it was a very impressive performance and an unbelievable score. We deserve that and I'll take it and keep improving as a team.”
17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri continued to shine on the European stage, grabbing his second Champions League goal in only six appearances.
The Hale End graduate is one goal off a record held by Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen - scoring nine goals before turning 18 years old.
“I don't think that he needs any pushing. You see every time he has a goal, what the intention is. If it comes, it comes and it's great. I'm really impressed with the way he behaved and the way he played tonight. It's about consistency and now doing it again three days later in another big stadium.”
Mikel Arteta’s side now have a six-goal berth to carry into the second leg next Wednesday in London, while the focus turns back to Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday.
