ARSENAL have signed off their Champions League group stage with a 1-1 draw away at PSV Eindhoven.
Eddie Nketiah scored the opener with a hard-hitting finish into the back corner late in the first half before Yorbe Vertessen’s surprise equaliser in the 50th minute levelled things up.
The Gunners have already proven themselves to be Group B winners ahead of tonight’s clash, prompting Mikel Arteta to give some fringe players a chance tonight.
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And so ends the group stage.
It arguably wouldn’t have been a memorable conclusion to the first leg of Arsenal’s return to the Champions League after a six-year absence, but it’s been an impressive continental campaign for the Gunners.
Winners with a game to play, the Londoners managed to make some adjustments for tonight and still emerged unscathed from Holland.
The focus will now turn to the Premier League and then in the new year, Mikel Arteta’s men will be able to show us how far they can go in Europe’s most sensible competition.
Until then, thanks for reading and good night.
Eyebrows were raised when Mikel Arteta brought on Declan Rice in the middle, and they remained raised when the former West Ham player repositioned the centre-back in William Saliba’s position.
Still, Rice was as calm as ever in that role, and the Arsenal manager went on to explain the reason for the decision.
We’re very short defensively, so I tried to see if something was going to happen and how we were going to do it. I thought it was really good.
Mikel Arteta insisted that tonight was an opportunity for some of his fringe players to show they deserve a run in the first team, but who impressed most?
Confirmation of Arsenal and PSV’s respective first and second finishes in Group B, but it’s Lens who happily drop into the Europa League following their last-minute win against Sevilla in France.
I can’t, the referee didn’t play another 15 seconds for Arsenal to complete 500 passes. It’s a farce bigger than any VAR nonsense.
It ends in Eindhoven.
A dead rubber, yes, but two dead goals.
Eddie Nketiah’s exquisite first half finish was cancelled out shortly after the restart by an excellent Yorbe Vertessen strike.
90+7. Trossard to win it! Trossard must win it! Saved!
Kiwior gets up with the rebound and. . . Ready!
Two huge mistakes from the Gunners.
Thankfully, on this occasion, it really doesn’t matter.
90 5. Ramsdale shows a certain pair of hands to save you from Junior’s ferocious run at the last minute.
Great confidence for the goalkeeper to finish.
90 2. In less than six minutes of extra time at the Philips Stadion, and there is no delayed urgency as seen in Arsenal’s recent away games such as Aston Villa, Luton and Brentford.
90. How wonderful that Til wins it!
The substitute took advantage of a mistake by Gabriel to score the goal from the right.
He has features to his left, but the Dutchman does so and moves away from the far post unnecessarily.
88. Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Jesus enter in the last two minutes.
Is it too much to ask that neither of them get hurt in time?
Reiss Nelson and Kai Havertz are the pair that make way.
87. When Trossard turns and shoots from distance over the crossbar, there is activity on the Arsenal bench.
85. Peter Bosz comes on for Malik Tillman.
The former Rangers loanee leaves for Guus Til.
83. Kiwior has a taste for it now, and has another attempt at goal.
This time, he’s locked through Bishop.
81. Odegaard delivers, Kiwior nods, Arsenal celebrate. . .
. . . But the flag was raised for offside.
It’s not the goalscorer that has been penalised though, instead it’s Gabriel who has been flagged.
A VAR review is conducted to determine if the defender interfered in the incident, but it doesn’t take long and the resolution is confirmed.
Eindhoven 1-1.
79. Nketiah wins a free kick on the left and Odegaard has the chance to attack the home defence with a free-kick.
On the bench, Zinchenko has a thundery face. The essence of a guy who asked to pass up his Christmas shopping when there was something smart on TV.
77. Two things to note about the fact that Declan Rice has been in central defence since joining.
75. Into the final 15 minutes and the contest is still evenly poised.
If qualification was on the line, this would be on a knife edge and as exciting as it comes.
But that doesn’t mean we’re looking to draw a conclusion.
73. Johan Bakayoko is going off so we may as well pack up and go home.
The Belgian (surely destined for the Premier League one day) is replaced by an exciting youngster in the user of Isaac Babadi.
Sergiño Dest is present, on loan at Barcelona for Ismael Saibari.
71. Bakayoko is quieter than the dazzling brilliance of the first half, but it comes alive here to win a free kick from a dangerous position.
The Belgian had too much skill, speed and tricks for Jorginho; I would seldom think that I had the same.
Bakayoko also takes the free kick, heading towards the post where Rice is obviously heading.
69. Twenty-one minutes left. . .
. . . which, I suppose, is the album from the 2001 single So Solid Crew.
67. Straight to the end and Saibari hits the post.
The Moroccan controlled brilliantly to deflect Rice’s box before firing a low shot past Ramsdale from a tight angle.
66. Arsenal fans have once again fallen victim to the old trick of the ball in the net.
And PSV enthusiasts get very excited as they mock their English rivals for celebrating twice what they mistakenly imagined was a goal.
It’s Reiss Nelson that prompts it with a determined run and shot.
Still, fool them once…
64. Nketiah is now injured after receiving what appears to be a blow to the face.
With a game-packed Christmas era on the horizon, that’s the last thing Mikel Arteta needs to deal with.
Min. 62. Mikel Arteta makes his first substitution. In fact, three years ago.
Mohamed Elneny is injured again, William Saliba and Cédric are also absent.
Of course, it’s not a bad trio to form: they are Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.
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