Both teams had already qualified for the round of 16 after their victories on the day, and Arsenal also showed a winning organisation following their defeat to Lens two weeks ago.
Eddie Nketiah gave Mikel Arteta’s much-changed side the lead tonight, against the run of play late in the first half, but they were pegged back shortly after the interval by Yorbe Vertessen’s fine finish to equalise.
PSV played a much better game, especially in the first half, where they had one or two wonderful chances to take the lead.
Arteta used the game to rest some of his key players with massive games against Brighton.
Both sides had nothing but pride to play for in this one, so it was unsurprising to see PSV make five changes, and Arsenal make eight, with both battling at the top of their domestic divisions.
It was PSV’s makeshift side who looked more in tandem as they dominated for longer periods of the first half.
The first chance of the game was arguably the best of the half, as Ricardo Pepi was denied brilliantly by a last-ditch Gabriel Magalhaes block after Johan Bakayoko’s through ball saw Patrick van Aanholt clash with Aaron Ramsdale.
Armando Obispo failed to take advantage of the resulting corner, and that was the story of the first half, as PSV squandered the final third.
After a slip by Gabriel allowed PSV to score the final third, they first sent the ball to Jordan Teze, and his cross found Vertessen, who hit the outside of the post.
Bakayoko threatened the Arsenal defence all night and gave a scare when his left-footed shot from distance went wide.
Arsenal scored their first goal in the 30th minute thanks to Mohamed Elneny’s positive shot that grazed the goalkeeper’s right post, but PSV remained on the rise.
After positioning himself in a promising two-on-two position, Pepi exchanged passes with Ismael Saibari and outplayed them, as by the time the American shot, Arsenal had discovered their bodies.
Peter Bosz’s side were eventually punished for their prodigality in the first half, when Nketiah picked up Reiss Nelson’s pass and fired past Walter Benitez from the post with his weaker left foot to give Arsenal the lead shortly before half-time.
PSV continued in the same vein and almost equalized in added time, when Bakayoko caused havoc and forced a save from Ramsdale, who had to deflect the ball.
Bosz seems to have asked the same of his players in the forty-five seconds, who picked up where they left off after the break with a more intense attacking game, with Bakayoko setting up Vertessen, who went wide early in the game. half. .
However, the full-back did not miss moments later, as Pepi found himself in hectares of pitch and left it to Vertessen, who opened his frame in search of the farthest corner, and despite a shot against the post, the ball rolled. the line and towards the back of the net.
With the score level, Arsenal made further advances towards the PSV penalty area, but Nketiah and Nelson reached the sidelines just five minutes apart.
Saibari’s runs from midfield continued to cause disarray for Arsenal, even as Declan Rice came into defence, when the Moroccan beat England’s foreigner with the ball and hit Ramsdale near the post but denied the goal through the post midway through the second half. .
With 10 minutes remaining, Arsenal momentarily thought they had won when Jakub Kiwior passed to Benitez, who was in no man’s land, but their celebrations were temporarily interrupted by the linesman’s flag, with Gabriel declared offside from the first cross.
An error from the Brazilian defender once again allowed PSV in behind, and Guus Til pounced, running in behind, but the substitute dragged his effort wide as the clock ticked towards 90.
Leandro Trossard squandered an excellent chance to win for Arsenal, firing straight at Benitez, before the rebound shot through Rice, but the match ended in a draw in Eindhoven.
Arsenal were already confident in the most sensible position in the organisation and will be seeded for the Champions League round of 16, with PSV joining them for the new year’s round of 16.