Momentum builds: Arsenal
(Picture: REUTERS)The games continue to come thick and fast for Arsenal, but this victory over PSV Eindhoven underlined how they are developing an uncanny knack for finding a way to win.
For so long it had looked like this would be a night of frustration for Arsenal, who dominated possession but could not find a way past their Dutch opponents.
They created good chances, especially through the lively pair of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, however they were thwarted time and again as the clock ticked towards the end.
Granit Xhaka eventually stood up to be Arsenal’s hero, firing home from Takehiro Tomiyasu’s cross after the Japan international had overlapped well down the right.
That proved to be enough for Arsenal, who really should have won by much more given they had over 20 shots on goal and 60 per cent possession.
The fixtures are coming in the blink of an eye right now, though, and manager Mikel Arteta will be acutely aware that all that matters right now is winning.
And this victory here was extra valuable for Arsenal as it should ease their fixture congestion in the new year.
Arsenal have qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League, but crucially they are also five points clear at the top of Group A with two games to go. Hold onto that spot and they will get a bye to the last 16, saving themselves two more matches.
Not that Arsenal will fear anyone right now as their stunning start to the season continues to show no signs of slowing down. This was their eighth win in a row tonight and they’ve lost just once this campaign.
As the Gunners continue to juggle the packed fixture schedule, Arteta made six changes to the side who beat Leeds 1-0 on Sunday.
One of those to come in was Kieran Tierney, who was making his 100th appearance for Arsenal, and it was he who created the first chance. The left-back was picked out by Saka’s cross, but he could only lash his effort over the bar.
That very much summed up the first half, which yielded no shots on target for either side. Arsenal certainly had the better of the 45 minutes, dominating possession to the tune of 67%, but they could not find a way past PSV.
Jesus was the biggest player to bemoan that fact. He fired one effort wide from outside the penalty area and then, in the space of six minutes after the half-hour mark, the striker missed three good chances as he couldn’t get his toe on balls in the box.
The first and best of those opportunities came via Fabio Vieira, who was Arsenal’s brightest spark in the opening 45 minutes, but his whipped ball into the box evaded Jesus by a matter inches.
When the first shot on target did come it came through Jesus five minutes after the break. The Brazilian combined well with Saka, exchanging a lovely one-two, but his effort was tame and straight at the PSV goalkeeper.
The duo linked up well again moments later as this time Saka got in on goal, but again he was denied.
It looked like that would be the story of Arsenal’s night, however they finally conjured a moment of quality with 20 minutes to go. Tomiyasu got in down the right and he picked out Xhaka, whose low effort found the bottom corner.
Relief for Arsenal, and Arteta too, as the Arsenal winning machine rolls on.
