Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta is hoping the glamour of the Champions League can galvanise his injury-ravaged squad from their Premier League funk.
The Gunners’ dream of a primary league title in 21 years seems over after falling 13 factors behind runaway leaders Liverpool.
Conquering Europe for the primary time now seems their solely probability of ending a five-year trophy drought and a form last-16 draw with PSV Eindhoven might purchase Arteta time to get a few of his key attackers again.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have been dominated out for the remainder of the season with critical hamstring and knee accidents respectively.
However Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli might return for the quarter-finals subsequent month ought to Arsenal progress.
The absence of all 4 forwards has been keenly felt as Arsenal failed to attain of their final two Premier League video games towards West Ham and Nottingham Forest to realistically finish their title aspirations.
Midfielder Mikel Merino has deputised as a makeshift striker, whereas Arteta has been compelled to depend on teenager Ethan Nwaneri in Saka’s regular large proper function.
“I do know that what’s missing is that piece up there,” mentioned Arteta. “There’s loads to play for and we have to discover the answer to unlock it.
“We’ve the Champions League, we now have a phenomenal competitors in entrance of us and we now have to prepared for Tuesday.”
A scarcity of creativity in addition to innovative within the remaining third has been a standard occurence all season for Arsenal.
The guests managed only one shot on the right track in a 0-0 draw at Forest final week, the ninth time this season they’ve failed to attain in a match.
Captain Martin Odegaard has struggled to hit the heights of the earlier two seasons since recovering from an ankle damage that saved him out for 2 months earlier within the marketing campaign.
Arteta has been certainly one of many managers hit by mounting damage issues to level to the pressure a congested calendar is placing on the highest gamers.
“He got here again in such a robust method and carried out at a really, very excessive stage,” mentioned the Spaniard on Odegaard’s inconsistent kind.
“Then simply sustaining that over a time frame, like we’re demanding the gamers to do consistently, particularly the artistic gamers, may be very tough.”
However Arsenal’s early exit from the FA Cup ensured Arteta’s males have had six days to arrange for the journey to the Netherlands.
And with out the luxurious of a free-flowing assault, they will at the very least lean on the Premier League’s meanest defence and among the finest within the Champions League up to now this season.
Solely Inter Milan conceded fewer than Arsenal’s three objectives within the eight-game league part, that included clear sheets towards Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta.
PSV boss Peter Bosz was left impressed by Arsenal’s defensive power when the guests had been humbled 4-0 on the Emirates in final season’s Champions League group stage.
“As quickly as we obtained to their field, (the assault) was over. How is that potential?” Bosz mentioned on the time.
The Dutch champions’ personal home struggles presents extra encouragement for the Londoners.
PSV have been crushed twice by Go Forward Eagles prior to now week and are winless in 4 league video games both aspect of a memorable 3-1 victory over Juventus to make the final 16.
Regardless of their battle for objectives, Arsenal will anticipate to make the final eight after which hope Saka and Martinelli can add the much-needed firepower for a quarter-final showdown with Actual or Atletico Madrid.
kca/jc
