Arsenal vs PSV Eindhoven. UEFA Champions League Group B.
Emirates StadiumAttendance58,860.
Report as Bukayo Saka starts first-half Arsenal rout with eighth-minute strike; Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus add second and third goals as hosts dominate PSV; Martin Odegaard fires home fourth from the edge of the box to mark perfect Champions League return
Thursday 21 September 2023 09:36, UK
Arsenal marked their Champions League return in style by hammering PSV Eindhoven 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta's side delivered a perfect performance after six years away from Europe's premier cup competition to head into the North London Derby against Tottenham this Sunday, live on Sky Sports, in fine form.
Bukayo Saka put the hosts ahead in just the eighth minute with a close-range tap-in and then Leandro Trossard fired home from the edge of the area.
Gabriel Jesus missed several first-half chances but finally added the third before the break and then Martin Odegaard wrapped up a superb display with an unstoppable drive from the edge of the box during the second half.
Saka began the first-half rout when Odegaard's shot from just inside the area was parried into the path of the winger, who made no mistake from close range.
Jesus should have had his first moments later, failing to connect with a low cross from inside the six-yard box, but he played a key role in the second. The striker burst through the middle of the pitch before passing to Saka, who squared for Trossard to fire into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box.
Arsenal were purring and saw Kai Havertz fire off target, Walter Benitez save twice from two Jesus efforts and Gabriel head wide at a corner all in the space of four minutes.
PSV did pose an attacking threat with winger Johan Bakayoko firing wide from the edge of the box but it was Arsenal and Jesus who found the net again. Trossard crossed for the Brazil international and he ruthlessly blasted the ball into the top left corner.
Emile Smith Rowe made his first appearance of the season as a second-half substitute which lifted the Arsenal crowd once more and within two minutes, he was involved as Odegaard fired hard and low into the bottom left corner from 25 yards.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta: "It was a beautiful night. After such a long time we needed to produce the right performance to try to win the game.
"It was great to see the atmosphere, the Champions League music. It was getting a bit emotional before. We showed in both boxes we were exceptional and that was the difference.
"I was really excited about [the game]. I don't show that too much. It's part of the journey, it started last year. We earned the right to be in this competition which is where we have to be as a club and now we have a responsibility to produce to stay at this level.
"From box to box, there were things we should have done much better. But at the same time to play the way they play in certain moments and to score four goals in the Champions League against a team that hasn't lost a game, credit to them."
Arsenal host north London rivals Tottenham on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 2pm. Their next Champions League Group B fixture is at Lens on Tuesday October 4 at 8pm.
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PSV travel to Almere City in the Eredivisie on Saturday with kick-off at 5.30pm (BST). They will host Sevilla in their next Champions League fixture on October 4 at 8pm.
