After losing 2-0 to PSV Eindhoven on Thursday at the Philips Stadion, Arsenal lost out on the chance to clinch direct advancement to the Europa League round of 16. This means that top spot in Group A will now be decided in the last round of games next week.
The Premier League leaders, who have already guaranteed themselves a spot in the top two, only needed a point to be declared group champions and avoid playing in a playoff against a side that was eliminated from the Champions League. A second-half goal by Joey Veerman and a goal from halftime replacement Luuk de Jong gave PSV a well-deserved victory, while PSV appeared to be the quicker team overall going forward.
Now, Arsenal will head into the last group match at home against last-placed Zurich with a two-point advantage over PSV. PSV will travel to Bodo/Glimt and now also ensure progression from the group stage.
Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka were two of Mikel Arteta’s six substitutions for the 1-1 tie-breaker squad. However, due to United States goalkeeper Matt Turner’s sore groin, Aaron Ramsdale, the team’s usual No. 1, made his first Europa League appearance of the year.Even though Arsenal had the majority of the ball in the first half, the home team was the more dangerous of the two.
De Jong, who had come on to give PSV a more direct threat in attack, was crucial. He held the ball up before passing it to a charging Veerman, who sent a left-footed shot past Ramsdale and into the Arsenal goal.
The PSV lead was extended after seven minutes. De Jong was once more in the lead, leapfrogging the stranded Ramsdale to head Gakpo’s corner into an open net from six yards away.
Gakpo had another goal disallowed for offside, and De Jong came near once more with a headed opportunity, so the score could have been even more lopsided.
As a last-ditch effort to salvage something from the game, Arteta resorted to Jesus and Saka, but they were powerless to save Arsenal from suffering only their second defeat across all competitions this year.