PSV Eindhoven vs Arsenal. UEFA Champions League Group B.
Philips StadionAttendance35,000.
Report as Arsenal claim 1-1 draw at PSV in their final Champions League Group B match; Eddie Nketiah struck just before half-time for the Gunners but hosts equalised through Yorbe Vertessen shortly after break; Arsenal and PSV had secured first and second in the group before kick-off
Wednesday 13 December 2023 06:59, UK
Eddie Nketiah struck for Arsenal as a much-changed Gunners side claimed a point against PSV in their final Champions League Group B game.
Both sides had already secured first and second-placed finishes in the group respectively, meaning Mikel Arteta and Peter Bosz took the opportunity to make a combined 13 changes to their XIs.
The visitors showed the effects of so many alterations in the opening stages but gradually gained control of the game and went into half-time ahead thanks to Nketiah's clinical finish.
PSV quickly restored parity through Yorbe Vertessen, though, and were the more impressive of the teams in the second half - although Walter Benitez was forced into an excellent save to deny Leandro Trossard a last-gasp winner.
But with qualification assured long ago, it was a night when returning to London unscathed ahead of a busy festive schedule was of paramount importance to Arteta and his side. In that respect, it was job done.
Attention will now turn to Monday's Champions League knockout stage draw at 11am, where the Gunners will discover their last 16 opponents for the knockout stages beginning in February.
"What I've seen is that we can compete at this level and we came top of the group which is very important," said Arteta after the game. "Especially the way we did it with a game in hand. We have to win game by game and we arrive again in February.
"Overall, finishing first with a game to play we have to be really happy, close that chapter, leave it until February and make sure in February when that chapter opens up again we are in the best possible place to compete against another top side."
After making eight changes, Arsenal were quickly indebted to two of the players retained from the weekend’s defeat to Aston Villa when William Saliba and Gabriel produced vital blocks to prevent Patrick van Aanholt and Ricardo Pepi opening the scoring.
Despite making five changes of their own, PSV were showing why they have racked up 15 consecutive wins in the Eredivisie, keeping Arsenal under pressure in the opening stages when Vertessen’s header hit the post.
Johan Bakayoko - an exciting talent who was on Tottenham’s radar in the summer - then flashed a powerful shot wide, with another effort later in the half forcing a strong save from Aaron Ramsdale, who was making his Champions League debut.
But after a slow start, Arsenal began to show their superior quality and almost led when Mohamed Elneny’s long-range effort clipped the post.
Nketiah then showed his team-mate how it was done when he buried the ball into the corner via the inside of the post after a sweeping move down the right.
The second half started in the same way as the first, with PSV posing the greater problems - and this time, they took advantage.
Moments after firing wide from the edge of the area, Vertessen bent a smart shot in off the post after excellent build-up play by former Rangers midfielder Malik Tillman.
Arsenal struggled to reignite the momentum with which they ended the first half, with Nketiah and Reiss Nelson both firing tame efforts into the side-netting.
Ismael Saibari then saw a shot deflected onto the post by Declan Rice, who came off the bench to play centre-back.
PSV’s hard work was almost undone by goalkeeper Walter Benitez, who made of a hash of Martin Odegaard’s free-kick, only for Jakub Kiwior’s header to be disallowed for an offside against Gabriel.
Both sides then spurned big chances to win the game, with Guus Til firing wide from a tight angle after Gabriel’s error before Benitez blocked Trossard’s powerful close-range strike.
They may not have been able to become the first side to win at the Philips Stadion this season but a point - as well as a return from injury for Emile Smith Rowe - ensures Arsenal can look ahead to Monday’s knockout draw in a hopeful mood.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:
"There were good moments, there were moments we lacked that cohesion and timings especially in the way we pressed against a really good side, when you don't get the timings right you have to defend awkward spaces and we had to do that a few times tonight which could have cost us the game.
"I think overall there are many, many positives [in this Champions League group]. After six or seven years without being in the competition with a team that doesn't have a lot of experience there I think we have competed very, very well.
"I really like the approach of the team in every single game, the way we try to play and dominate the opponents, we have some big results and big experiences as well. Like what we had in Seville, or in Lens and even today, when we make that many changes as well, how the team can act, or how fair it is for certain players to give that exposure."
Sky Sports' Sam Blitz:
You wouldn't have been able to tell that this was Eddie Nketiah's first Champions League goal.
The confidence the England forward had to blast past Walter Benitez with his weaker left foot gave the impression he had been playing at this level for years, not making his maiden start in Europe's premier club competition.
Nketiah has shown flashes of brilliance but has failed to find consistency. For example, his hat-trick against Sheffield United in October was followed by a limp display at Newcastle - and Gabriel Jesus was reinstated as Arsenal's No 9 with minimal fuss after that.
But while Jesus has been an effective option for Mikel Arteta, he has been very wasteful. Since his return from injury in late November, Jesus has registered 2.34 Expected Goals on Target - the most out of any Arsenal player by some distance - but has one goal to show for it.
One thing Nketiah has that Jesus lacks is a clinical edge. Can he use that to his advantage to edge ahead in the Arsenal striker pecking order?
Arsenal host Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday; kick-off 2pm. The Gunners then face a huge trip to Liverpool on December 23, live on Saturday Night Football; kick-off 5.30pm.
PSV return to Eredivisie action on Sunday at AZ Alkmaar; kick-off 7pm. Peter Bosz's side then host Twente in the KNVB Cup on Thursday December 21; kick-off 8pm.
