PSV 1-7 Arsenal: Player ratings as Gunners breeze to dominant first leg victory
- Arsenal secure comfortable 7-1 victory over PSV in Champions League last 16 first leg
- Timber, Nwaneri, Merino, Odegaard, Trossard & Calafiori all on target for Gunners
- Lang's first-half penalty did not inspire a comeback
By Tom Gott
Arsenal secured an imposing lead in their Champions League last 16 tie with a dominant 7-1 victory away at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday evening.
Jurrien Timber headed home 18 minutes in, just moments after PSV's Ismael Saibari somehow struck the post from close range after David Raya had parried a cross into his path, and Ethan Nwaneri doubled Arsenal's advantage almost immediately after as he thundered home from just outside the six-yard box.
On the half-hour mark, Mikel Merino made it three. Some calamitous PSV defending effectively gifted the ball to Arsenal's stand-in striker, who flashed real composure to guide the ball into the back of the net. PSV had the last laugh of the first half, however, when Noa Lang crashed in an excellent penalty.
Inside three minutes of the second half, Arsenal added goals four and five. Martin Odegaard tapped home from close range and, before PSV had settled, Leandro Trossard chipped Walter Benitez to effectively secure Arsenal's spot in the next round.
Odegaard bagged the sixth 20 minutes from time and Oleksandr Zinchenko nearly added a seventh, but that last goal eventually did come through the unlikely sight of Riccardo Calafiori roaring down the right wing and tapping home in the dying embers.
PSV player ratings (4-3-3)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Walter Benitez | 2.0/10 |
RB: Richard Ledezma | 5.0/10 |
CB: Ryan Flamingo | 4.2/10 |
CB: Olivier Boscagli | 5.1/10 |
LB: Tyrell Malacia | 5.3/10 |
CM: Ismael Saibari | 4.7/10 |
CM: Jerdy Schouten | 4.1/10 |
CM: Guus Til | 6.0/10 |
RW: Ivan Perisic | 7.2/10 |
ST: Luuk de Jong | 6.7/10 |
LW: Noa Lang | 7.7/10 |
SUB: Adamo Nagalo (46' for Flamingo) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Johan Bakayoko (65' for De Jong) | 6.2/10 |
SUB: Rick Karsdorp (65' for Ledezma) | 6.1/10 |
SUB: Armando Obispo (83' for Boscagli) | N/A |
SUB: Joey Veerman (83' for Saibari) | N/A |
Subs not used: Joel Drommel (GK), Niek Schiks, Isaac Babadi, Tygo Land, Couhaib Driouech
Arsenal player ratings (4-3-3)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: David Raya | 7.2/10 |
RB: Jurrien Timber | 8.5/10 |
CB: William Saliba | 7.9/10 |
CB: Gabriel | 7.7/10 |
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly | 6.2/10 |
DM: Thomas Partey | 6.4/10 |
CM: Martin Odegaard | 9.3/10 |
CM: Declan Rice | 7.9/10 |
RW: Ethan Nwaneri | 7.8/10 |
ST: Mikel Merino | 8.6/10 |
LW: Leandro Trossard | 8.4/10 |
SUB: Riccardo Calafiori (34' for Lewis-Skelly) | 8.6/10 |
SUB: Oleksandr Zinchenko (71' for Partey) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Raheem Sterling (71' for Nwaneri) | 5.9/10 |
SUB: Ben White (76' for Merino) | 5.9/10 |
SUB: Kieran Tierney (76' for Timber) | 6.6/10 |
Subs not used: Neto (GK), Tommy Setford (GK), Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Ismeal Kabia, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji
Player of the match - Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
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