PSV and Arsenal have already qualified for the Champions League round of 16 ahead of Tuesday’s clash.
Find the latest odds for PSV vs Arsenal. All odds are provided through our top-rated football sites. Odds are subject to change.
It’s hard for both sides. It is one of the 4 groups of the Champions League in which the identity of the two that will advance to the round of 16 is already known.
Furthermore, Arsenal are already confident in first place. He has 12 problems in his squad after the matchdays, 4 more than the second placed, PSV.
The Dutchmen’s total of 8 proved to be enough to take second place ahead of Lens thanks to an impressive head-to-head record.
The tension will end on Tuesday. This is a loose shot for either team, making the final results difficult to predict.
On the one hand, Mikel Arteta will likely appreciate the opportunity to make some adjustments to his squad ahead of the busy festive schedule.
On the other hand, the Arsenal head coach will be keen to see his side return to winning tactics after the 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend.
That result, combined with Liverpool’s 2-1 triumph over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, saw Arsenal end the Premier League weekend in second spot.
There were still positives to be taken from its functionality in Villa Park. Arsenal fell from the start, but then created chances. Even if Villa had been brave and determined, a draw might have been a fairer result.
Arsenal have some big games on the horizon. Brighton & Hove Albion await on Sunday, after which Arteta will take his team to Anfield to face Liverpool. Two London derbies against West Ham United and Fulham between Christmas and New Year will not be straightforward either.
With that in mind, it would make sense for the Gunners to call up a weakened at Philips Stadion.
It’s hard to decide until we see either team’s starting XI, but a weakened Arsenal side could put things on the back burner on Tuesday.
PSV have had one season so far. Not only do they qualify for the Champions League round of 16 with a game to play, but Peter Bosz’s side are navigating in the Eredivisie.
A 2-0 victory over Heerenveen on Friday saw PSV move 10 points clear at the summit of the standings in the Netherlands.
PSV leaves behind Feyenoord, AZ and Twente, and Ajax is first in the standings after a terrible start to the season.
This was by no means guaranteed. PSV finished second in the Eredivisie last term, then saw their manager Ruud van Nistelrooy resign amid reports of a player revolt.
Claim Free Bets
The jury will decide without delay on Bosz, who has had good luck in his recent jobs at Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
But PSV flies under his supervision. Incredibly, they have won all 15 league games this season, scoring 52 goals and conceding just six.
Arsenal won the opposite match 4-0 in one of their 2023/24 performances, but a draw would be a smart result on Tuesday if Arteta really matches his package.
As the statistics above show, PSV have had no problem putting the ball in the back of their team domestically.
They average around 3. 5 goals per game in the Eredivisie, that figure drops to a more modest 1. 4 in the Champions League.
Still, this is a typical Bosz team which likes to play on the front foot and commits bodies to attack.
We should expect goals in this one, then. Even if Arsenal do ring the changes in forward areas, there is more than enough quality in reserve to pose a threat to a PSV backline that has been breached nine times in this competition.
Indeed, a hypothetical front three of Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard would give Bosz’s men plenty to think about.
PSV can’t catch Arsenal at the top of the table, but they will see it as a chance to score against one of the favourites to win the tournament.
And the fact that neither team has anything to lose inspires positive football from both hosts and visitors.
There is no doubt that Gabriel Jesus is still Arsenal’s first-choice striker. He has started several games in a row, including the 1-0 loss to Aston Villa last time out.
Jesús is a footballer who stands out for linking the game and bringing his attacking teammates into play. But, by his own admission, he’s not exactly the deadliest finisher.
Nketiah doesn’t offer as much away from home on the penalty pitch as Jesus. He’s also not in the Brazilian’s overall spot, but he’s a centre-forward who comes alive on the penalty pitch.
Nketiah will most likely start on Tuesday, and Arteta will likely keep Jesus, who suffered injuries at times in 2023, back for this weekend’s clash with Brighton.
If he receives the green light, the English foreigner will be a selection in the forward market at any time.
Greg Lea is an independent footballer from London. He basically covers the Premier League and has published paintings in The Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on Twitter@GregLeaFootball
Commercial Content Notice: Accepting any of the bookmakers’ offers listed in this article is likely to result in a payout to talkSPORT. 18Array. Terms and situaciones. Begambleaware. org apply
A guilty player is one who:
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
If you have a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit www. gamstop. co. uk to be excluded from all regulated gambling sites in the UK.
This service can be found in talkSPORT Ltd’s Terms of Use in accordance with our Privacy Policy.