UCL: PSV and Arsenal close out successful Group B campaigns

A Champions League dead-rubber will take place at the Philips Stadion on Tuesday evening, as PSV Eindhoven and Arsenal close out successful Group B campaigns.

Both sides have already entered the pot for the last-16 draw, the hosts as runners-up and Arsenal as group winners, but the Gunners in particular have an incentive to right some recent wrongs in the Netherlands.

READ ALSO: Regragui scoops CAF’s Best Coach of the Year prize

Spectacular comebacks against Europa League winners Sevilla were nothing new for PSV, whose showdown with the Spaniards in October ended with Peter Bosz’s side snatching a point from the jaws of defeat courtesy of Jordan Teze’s injury-time leveller, but the Dutch titans went one better on the penultimate matchday to punch their knockout ticket.

Sergio Ramos and Youssef En-Nesyri sent Sevilla 2-0 up to no avail, as Ismael Saibari’s strike, a Nemanja Gudelj own goal and injury-time header from Ricardo Pepi confirmed PSV’s second-placed finish at the expense of Sevilla’s progression hopes, leading to unbridled joy on the touchline for Bosz and co.

PSV’s eight-point haul could still be matched by Lens, but the Rood-witten’s knockout berth is safe owing to their superior head-to-head record against the French outfit, and perfection remains the name of the game for Bosz’s men as far as their Eredivisie exploits are concerned.

Indeed, PSV made it 15 wins from 15 Dutch top-flight matches with a routine 2-0 home beating of Heerenveen on Thursday, where goals in either half from Guus Til and Pepi saw Bosz’s indomitable charges maintain a 10-point advantage over Feyenoord at the summit of the standings.

That comfortable success also represented an eighth successive victory for the Rood-witten across all tournaments, and not one of the hosts’ competitive matches at Philips Stadion in 2023 has ended in defeat, but there will be no prizes for guessing who PSV’s most recent defeat came against.

While PSV marched to Eredivisie win number 15 of the 2023-24 season at the weekend, Aston Villa stormed to consecutive home league win number 15 on Saturday evening, where erstwhile Arsenal manager Unai Emery put a significant dent in the Gunners’ title aspirations.

A suspended Mikel Arteta cut a forlorn figure in the director’s box as chance after chance came and went for Arsenal, who fell victim to an early John McGinn strike and a couple of contentious officiating decisions in a 1-0 Villa Park loss, just their second Premier League reverse of the new term.

A six-game victorious run in all competitions was brought to an end for Arsenal in the West Midlands, where a last-gasp Kai Havertz leveller was chalked off for handball, but the pressure is firmly off the Gunners’ shoulders when they make a brief stopover in Eindhoven.

By hitting Lens for six last month, Arsenal prolonged their first premier European adventure since the 2016-17 campaign and head into the final matchday with an unrivalled goal difference of +12, better than all other 31 teams dining at the top continental table this season.

Not since the 2005-06 campaign – where they walked past the trophy as runners-up to Barcelona – have Arsenal won at least five group-stage games in a single Champions League season, and September’s meeting with PSV on a rainy Emirates evening ended in a scintillating 4-0 win, but the Dutch side prevailed over Arteta’s men on home turf in last year’s Europa League.

PSV winger Hirving Lozano will technically serve a European suspension on Tuesday, having been booked for the third time in Group A against Sevilla, but the Mexico international is currently receiving treatment for a hip injury anyway.

None of Noa Lang (discomfort), Armel Bella-Kotchap (shoulder), Jerdy Schouten (unspecified) or Jordan Teze (concussion) were present against Heerenveen either, and while the latter two may have a slight chance of returning from protocol on Tuesday, Bosz should not take any risks with nothing severe at stake.

Having come off the bench to great effect against both Sevilla and Heerenveen, Pepi may be rewarded by Bosz with a starting role – especially with Lozano and Lang in the infirmary – but Luuk de Jong will still be expected to act as the focal point.

As for Arsenal, a quartet of injury victims are guaranteed to sit this one out, with Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf), Jurrien Timber (knee), Thomas Partey (thigh) and Fabio Vieira (groin) all facing at least a few more weeks on the sidelines, while Gabriel Martinelli is ill.

Bukayo Saka is also unlikely to be risked due to a foot issue, which prevented him from training on Monday, but Emile Smith Rowe has made a complete recovery from a knee problem and has travelled with the squad.

Barring their profligacy, Arteta waxed lyrical about his side’s overall display at Villa Park, but the Gunners boss – who is also back on the touchline following a ban – should not be averse to rotating his resources, especially with Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool to come.

Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard, Jorginho and Jakub Kiwior could be among those to benefit from some rotation, but David Raya’s spot in goal over Aaron Ramsdale appears safe.

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Dest, Ramalho, Boscagli, Van Aanholt; Saibari, Veerman, Til; Bakayoko, De Jong, Pepi

Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Nelson, Nketiah, Trossard