Both Arsenal and PSV Eindhoven are returning to the UEFA Champions League after lengthy absences from Europe’s best tournament.
Arsenal returns to the Champions League for the first time since losing 10-2 on aggregate to Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the 2016-17 season. A lot has changed in that time, with Arsène Wenger leaving the club, Unai Emery’s failure to bring European success confirmed by a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in the 2019 Europa League final, and Mikel Arteta’s appointment and subsequent drive to bring Arsenal back to the top of the domestic and European game after a slew of changes at the boardroom level.
PSV is also back in the top flight after a four-year layoff. Since their previous involvement in the Champions League, they have had six different head coaches, including caretakers, with four runners-up results and one abandoned season in the Eredivisie. After three eliminations in the qualifications during that time, the Dutch team defeated Rangers in August to re-enter the group stage.
PSV will be competing in the Champions League for the 17th time, whereas Arsenal won the title 19 times in a row from 1998 to 2017. Both sides will feel their return to Europe’s top table is long overdue; the last time the Gunners competed in this league, Bukayo Saka hadn’t yet finished his GCSE examinations.
He got four A* and three A grades, so he was a star boy in the classroom some time before he became one on the football pitch.
In Arsenal’s Champions League history, only Olympiakos (20) has competed in more seasons without winning the competition than Arsenal. With their 20th qualifier, they tie the Greeks for 20th place this season.
There will be no survivors from Arsenal’s previous appearance in Europe’s elite event, while Luuk de Jong is the sole PSV player who played in the competition last season.
Arsenal will rely on the expertise of Gabriel Jesus, who has scored 20 goals in 38 outings in the tournament. They also have Kai Havertz, who won the competition with Chelsea in 2021 and scored the game-winning goal against Manchester City in the final.
PSV will rely on forward De Jong, who has happy memories of playing north London opposition; he’s scored more goals in the Champions League against Tottenham (two) than any other side (two). He did not, however, score a Premier League goal during his brief spell at Newcastle United.
How to watch Arsenal vs PSV
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
Live stream: Subscribers can watch on a live stream on the TNT Sports App.
LIVE coverage: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog. Simon Collings will be providing expert analysis from the ground.
Arsenal vs PSV match facts
- Date: Wednesday, September 20
- Kickoff Time: 3:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. BST / 5:00 a.m. AEST (Thu. Sep 21)
- Location: Emirates Stadium (London, England)
- Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER)
- Last meeting: PSV 2-0 Arsenal (October. 17, 2022 | Europa League)
Arsenal vs PSV prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Arsenal (-255)
- Score prediction: Arsenal 3-1 PSV
So far during the 2023/24 season, SN betting expert Nathan Evans has predicted 70% of match outcomes correctly (with three exact scorelines), whilst he holds a 51% success rate across all betting selections.
