Mikel Arteta will have fewer options to call upon from his bench on Thursday evening as his Arsenal side face off against PSV Eindhoven in a key Europa League group-stage clash. The Gunners can guarantee top spot in Group A should they avoid defeat against their Dutch opposition.
It comes just one week after they managed a 1-0 win at the Emirates Stadium as Granit Xhaka's strike proved to be the difference in the game. Top spot is important since changes in the European rules, meaning second place in the Europa League must now face an extra game against the sides dropping from the Champions League.
Given the fact a side can now skip another game against some tough opposition means it's all to play for, which Arteta mentioned in his pre-match press conference. He told reporters: "This competition is getting harder and harder and I think, as you mentioned, how it looks today and what the possibilities are it looks like the next round is going to be extremely competitive, that's why finishing first in the group and avoiding another two games is such an important thing for us."
