Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called his players “phenomenal” after they recorded a 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg at the Philips Stadion on Tuesday night, Afrosport reports.
Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori all registered their names on the scoresheet to hand the Gunners a comfortable lead going into next week’s second leg at the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta’s side became the first team in Champions League history to score seven or more goals in an away knockout tie, a big statement on their recent struggles in front of goal having lost a number of key attackers due to injury.
“That’s what we want, you know? But at the end, it’s a thing of execution. We were exceptional. We talked before the game boxes in the Champions League are critical,” the Spaniard said.
“You have to dominate them. And we haven’t done it in the first action and they scored a goal. Another one is a penalty. While we weren’t the other day we were phenomenal [against PSV] and willingness is for sure going to be there. The quality execution, that’s something else.”
7 – Arsenal are the first team in UEFA Champions League history to score 7+ goals away from home in a knockout stage match. Narrative. #PSVARS pic.twitter.com/bRoMGxhoIf
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 4, 2025
He added: “I really enjoyed the match. So, thank you to the players for the performance that they put in a big night for us against a really good side. And the way they went through in the last round against Juventus was really impressive. So, the manner that we’ve done it, the way played, the goals that we score. Thank you. Because it was a special night.”
Arsenal will turn their attention to a crunch Premier League tie against former title rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
