PSV 1-7 Arsenal: Record-breaking Gunners enjoy carnival season in Eindhoven

Recently, Eindhoven has been immersed in a carnival atmosphere, and on Tuesday, Arsenal also enjoyed their own feast in the city. They not only broke free from their goal-scoring drought but also set a new record in the Champions League.

In the Champions League knockout stage, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal thrashed Eindhoven 7-1, becoming the first team in Champions League history to score seven goals away from home. This was also the Gunners' highest-scoring game since their 7-3 victory over Newcastle in the Premier League 13 years ago.

Arsenal's manager stated that the victory brought his players "joy, confidence, and belief," but he was not carried away by the record the team broke. Arteta said, "Of course, it's an unprecedented achievement, and it's great to be a part of it. But as a team, we want to achieve more important things than this."

"The most pleasing thing is that we are now in a very favorable position to advance to the next round, which is exactly what we wanted to achieve. But there is still a game to be completed in London in a week." Arteta probably did not anticipate such a resounding victory, especially after Arsenal had failed to score in their previous matches, including a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest and a 0-1 loss to West Ham United.

England and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, one of the standout players in the match, said that the Gunners have been rewarded for their recent efforts. Rice said that Arsenal played "fluidly" and possessed the "passion, drive, and desire" needed for the knockout stages. He also added, "But we've been playing like this all season. We feel like we're playing well as a team. Sometimes we score five goals, sometimes two, sometimes we don't score, but today we did well. Everything clicked."

Arsenal has been lacking a recognized striker, with both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz injured. However, in Tuesday's game, six different players contributed to the resounding victory – Martin Ødegaard scored twice, and there were also goals from Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori.

This emphatic victory means Arsenal can begin planning their trip to Madrid, as they will face the winner between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, with Carlo Ancelotti's team winning 2-1. The second leg will be played at Atlético Madrid next week.

Arsenal's outstanding 17-year-old talent, Nwaneri, once again demonstrated why people are full of anticipation and excitement for his future. The academy graduate was tasked with filling the void left by Bukayo Saka on Arsenal's right flank, with the England international currently sidelined due to injury. The teenager repaid the trust placed in him with his eighth goal in all competitions.

Arteta said, "I don't think he needs any pushing. You can see what his intention is every time. If it comes, great. I'm really happy with him and the way he's playing. The key is to be consistent and do it again in another big stadium in three days."

Nwaneri also became the third-youngest goalscorer in the Champions League knockout stage, behind only Bojan in April 2008 (17 years and 217 days) and Jude Bellingham in April 2021 (17 years and 289 days). Rice said, "He's only 17, but he's standing on the biggest stage. We've taken (these young players) under our wing, and they deserve the opportunity to play. You should see them in training, they're fearless and eager to perform. Even if Saka is here, Ethan will still get playing time because he's so good and works hard in training. We have a lot of top young players."

Nwaneri started alongside his academy teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly, an 18-year-old who also impressed, although he was substituted in the first half to avoid being sent off. Lewis-Skelly had already received a yellow card, and he made a tackle on Richard Ledezma; although he was not penalized, Arteta immediately replaced him.

Captain Ødegaard said, "They play like they've been here for many years. They have so much quality and confidence, they are ready. I'm not worried about them, we are happy to have them in the team, they have a great attitude." Ødegaard, who himself began playing professional football at the age of 15, believes Lewis-Skelly can take his early substitution as a learning experience. He added, "He took it well. He knew he was in a tricky position. He already had a yellow card and was facing a tough challenge. He took it well, we will all support him, and I'm sure he will learn from it."