Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Both PSV and Arsenal will be with guards down when they take on at Philips Stadion in the last round of the Champions League group stages. Both sides have already booked their spot in the knockout stages, meaning that they have little to play for in Tuesday’s encounter. Both Ismael Saibari and Ricardo Pepi are pushing for a start after the duo got their names on the scoresheet in a come-from-behind win over Sevilla, while both Hirving Lozano and Jordan Teze miss out with injuries. Noa Lang is unlikely to be risked.
The Gunners, on the other hand, are eyeing their fourth consecutive win in Group B and seeing that they are eager to make amends for the Premier League loss to Aston Villa, away triumph should be considered. Both Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah should be recalled to the starting XI, while all Tomiyasu, Vieira, Smith-Rowe, Partey, and Timber continue to miss out with injuries.
Highlighted Player (Luuk de Jong):
The 26-year-old Dutch striker Luuk de Jong is considered one of Europe’s deadliest strikers with his incredible return of goals in games he spends playing. Luuk de Jong began his football career at De Graafschap in 2008, but moved on to Twente only a year later.
The tally of 39 goals in 76 league appearances earned him a transfer to Borussia Monchengladbach, but his spell in Germany ended in disappointment. Bundesliga club attempted to revive his career by sending him out on loan to Newcastle United but his stint with the English club yielded even more disappointment and concluded in utter disaster with De Jong playing 12 games without scoring a single goal for the Magpies.
A return to Netherlands and PSV Eindhoven turned out to be a proper hit for the 26-year-old striker who has restored his scoring touch with more than 50 goals for the Boeren after less than 90 games.
Highlighted Team (Arsenal):
Arsenal are regarded as one of the best English teams. The Gunners have won 12 FA Cup trophies, 13 league titles and two League Cups, but they have yet to lift the Champions League trophy. Arsene Wenger’s team were on the verge of beating Barcelona in the Champions League final back in 2006, but they eventually failed to win the prestigious title.
Arsenal used to play their homes at Highbury, but in 2006 they moved to the Emirates Stadium. The capacity of the stadium is 60,260. The Gunners won their last Premier League trophy back in 2004, with the capital club going through the season without a single loss. The likes of Thierry Henry, Denis Bergkamp and Robert Pires were part of the team back then, but Arsenal have not won the league trophy ever since.
Arsenal was founded by Woolwich munitions workers as Dial Square back in 1886. It is well known that Tottenham Hotspur are Arsenal’s fiercest rivals and there have always been fireworks when the two local rivals meet in the North London derby.