Arsenal will derive a great deal of confidence from their 7-1 mauling of PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie and the Premier League club are determined to keep the momentum rolling, manager Mikel Arteta said.
Arsenal registered their biggest away win in European club competition on Tuesday, putting themselves in a virtually unassailable position to advance to the quarterfinals where they will meet either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid.
The North London side, who had failed to score in their last two league matches, had arrived in Eindhoven with their Premier League title hopes hanging by a thread after falling 13 points behind leaders Liverpool.
“It obviously gives us a lot of joy, confidence and belief, and then in football, it's not what we did three days ago, or today, it's about what we're going to do tomorrow, or at Old Trafford, how we behave and able to win again,” Arteta said.
“Enjoy tonight because it was a very impressive performance, an unbelievable score, so we deserve that, and now take that, and keep improving as a team.
Rampant Arsenal’s rout of PSV a confidence boost, says Arteta
Brahim strike gives Real Madrid lead over Atletico, Villa get first-leg win at Brugge
Image: Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
Arsenal will derive a great deal of confidence from their 7-1 mauling of PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie and the Premier League club are determined to keep the momentum rolling, manager Mikel Arteta said.
Arsenal registered their biggest away win in European club competition on Tuesday, putting themselves in a virtually unassailable position to advance to the quarterfinals where they will meet either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid.
The North London side, who had failed to score in their last two league matches, had arrived in Eindhoven with their Premier League title hopes hanging by a thread after falling 13 points behind leaders Liverpool.
“It obviously gives us a lot of joy, confidence and belief, and then in football, it's not what we did three days ago, or today, it's about what we're going to do tomorrow, or at Old Trafford, how we behave and able to win again,” Arteta said.
“Enjoy tonight because it was a very impressive performance, an unbelievable score, so we deserve that, and now take that, and keep improving as a team.
“It's something that hasn't been done so it's great to be a part of that [on achieving their biggest away win in the Champions League], but as a team we want to achieve many other things that are far more important than that.”
Arteta also backed Ethan Nwaneri to maintain his performance levels after the 17-year-old winger once again impressed with a fine display and scored Arsenal's second goal.
“I don't think he needs any pushing. You see him every time he has the ball what the intention is, so if he comes, he comes, and it's great and really impressive again the way he behaved, the way he played tonight.”
Arsenal's next match is a trip to 14th-placed Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Gunners rattled in three goals in a 13-minute spell in the first half and then ruthlessly added four more after the break.
Jurrien Timber opened the scoring in the 18th minute, followed by a strike from Nwaneri before Mikel Merino added the third in the 31st minute.
The Dutch champions pulled one back from a Noa Lang penalty for a 3-1 halftime deficit but two goals in the opening three minutes of the second half reinforced Arsenal’s dominance, with captain Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard adding their names to the scoresheet.
Odegaard got his second goal in the 73rd minute before substitute Riccardo Calafiori netted the seventh five minutes from time to complete the rout.
Also on Tuesday night, Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz scored a second-half winner as the hosts edged out neighbours Atletico Madrid 2-1 in a scrappy first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid after Julian Alvarez had cancelled out Rodrygo's opener.
It was a stuttering capital derby between bitter rivals who at times looked to be playing within themselves, seemingly conserving some energy for what is likely to be a compelling return leg at Atletico's Metropolitano Stadium next week.
Real started on fire when Rodrygo scored a fine opener four minutes after kickoff but Atletico slowly got into the game and Alvarez equalised with a stunning strike in the 32nd minute.
Real got the winner in the 55th through Diaz, who worked his magic to find a tiny pocket of space inside a crowded box and slotted a low, angled strike inside Jan Oblak's far post.
Aston Villa earned a 3-1 win away to Club Brugge thanks to an own goal and a penalty in the final eight minutes.
Villa were in front in the third minute when Leon Bailey fired a first-time shot into the bottom corner but the hosts were level nine minutes later through Maxim De Cuyper.
The tie appeared to be heading for a draw until Brandon Mechele put the ball into his own net eight minutes from time and with two minutes left Marco Asensio converted from the penalty spot.
The sides will meet again at Villa Park next Wednesday for the second leg, to decide who will face either Liverpool or Paris St Germain in the quarterfinals.
Tuesday’s Uefa Champions League last 16 first leg results
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