So, the Arsenal could make sure that they end up at the top of their Europa League group if they either win or draw in Thursday’s match in Einghoven. The Gunners hardly had an easy win at the Emirates last week and we must assume it will be just as tough, or even tougher, when PSV play in front of their fanatical home fans.
If you look at PSV’s home form in the Eredivisie, you would find them practically invincible at the Philips Stadion, having won their last 11 games stretching back to February. In that run they have scored 42 goals which is slightly under 4 goals a game on average, which has helped them to second place in the League, just 4 points behind leaders Ajax.
In Europe they are not so consistent though. They started this season in the Champions League, and after just getting past Monaco on penalties, they were famously consigned to the Europa League with a home defeat to Glasgow Rangers.
They started the Group games with a tame 1-1 draw at home to Bodo Glimt, and then scored 5 goals in each of their games against FC Zurich, before losing at the Emirates last week.
The fact is that we could lose this week and still only need to beat Zurich to qualify as table toppers, whereas PSV are unlikely to have an easy last game up in the north of Norway on Bodo’s famous artificial pitch.
So, on European form, Arsenal should not have many problems in Eindhoven, even with our reserves, so I agree that Arteta should rest every top player for this game, but knowing how much Arteta hates losing, he will probably still have a few first teamers in his starting XI…
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