Europa League

ARSENAL 1 (Xhaka 70)
PSV EINDHOVEN 0

THE latest chapter in one of the biggest turnarounds in football history unfolded at the Emirates Stadium tonight (Thursday) as Granit Xhaka scored the winner against PSV Eindhoven to edge Arsenal ever closer to the last-16 of the Europa League.

Wearing the captain’s armband, Xhaka’s from zero to hero fairytale continued when the Swiss international produced a superb finish with his weaker foot from just inside the box. The goal comes almost three-years after the midfielder was booed off by Arsenal fans in a now infamous match against Crystal Palace.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told the Tribune that Xhaka’s remarkable redemption is very much “deserved”, adding: “He has faced adversity in difficult moments and he has put his arm up when he had something different to do.

“His work ethic, the way he is as a person, the way he treats everyone at the club and the love for this football club and this profession is unquestionable. I’m really happy to see him enjoying his career.”

Xhaka’s winner midway through the second half broke the deadlock in what was a cagey game. The 1-0 victory leaves the Gunners five points clear in Group A and guarantees them a place in the knockout stages.

But there is still work to do. If the north Londoners can now avoid defeat in Eindhoven next Thursday they will receive a massive fillip. As group winners Arsenal will be rewarded with a bye in the last-32, meaning they will be saved from having to play two more matches.

Reflecting on the importance of finishing top, Arteta added: “We are qualified, that’s the first step, and we are really pleased to have done that. Now we want to achieve the second step, which is to finish first in the group because we know the difference that’s going to make in terms of the game you have to play, and against who.”

There was only ever going to be one winner on a chilly night at the Emirates, with Arsenal pouring forward at every opportunity – while PSV offered very little in return.

The first real chance fell to Kieran Tierney early on, the Scottish international smashing a half-volley over the bar from just inside the box.

Bukayo Saka was Arsenal’s most dangerous player throughout, and the winger saw two rasping efforts well saved by Walter Benitez in the PSV goal. Gabriel Jesus also carved out – and squandered – some good chances.

In the end the Gunners needed just the one goal, which arrived when Xhaka added the finishing touches to some nice build-up play between Martin Odegaard and Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Facing the TV cameras after the final whistle, match-winner Xhaka said: “We had chance after chance and we didn’t have the luck to score earlier, but we had the passion to keep the ball, keep creating the chances and I think we deserved the win.

“I don’t know when I scored for the last time with the right foot but I’m so happy. It doesn’t matter which foot, or who scores. It gives us confidence and on to the next one. When you win games you have to be happy.

“Everything is going well at the moment but for us it is not a surprise, we’re doing a lot of work. We win and lose as a team and at the moment we are very dangerous.”

Arsenal: Turner, Tomiyasu (White, 76), Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Lokonga (Partey, 67), Xhaka, Vieira, Saka (Nelson, 85), Nketiah, Jesus (Martinelli, 76)
Substitutes not used: Ramsdale, Hein, Saliba, Cedric, Odegaard, Cirjan, Marquinhos, Edwards

PSV Eindhoven: Benitez, Obispo, Ramalho, Mwene, Max (Teze, 66), Sangare, Simons (Ledezma, 90+1), Gakpo, Gutierrez, Veerman (de Jong, 77), Til (Madueke, 65)
Substitutes not used: Drommel, Waterman, Hoever, Junior, Branthwaite, El Ghazi, Bakayoko, Savio.