How Arsenal set a Champions League record with 7-1 rout of PSV - chof 360 news

Arsenal is all but guaranteed to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League after recording the biggest-ever win away in the knockout stage of Europe's elite tournament, beating PSV Eindhoven 7-1 on Tuesday.

The Gunners were ruthless in the first leg of their last 16 tie and romped to an emphatic win despite injuries to key forwards including Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus.

“We were fluid. We had enthusiasm, the drive and the hunger," Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said. “But we’ve been playing like this all season. We need to keep pushing as a team with the mentality.”

After Jurrien Timber headed his team into the lead in the 18th minute, Arsenal went on a rampage.

Teenager Ethan Nwaneri doubled the lead in the 21st minute from Myles Lewis-Skelly's assist. Arsenal said it was the first time the two homegrown players had combined to score for the first team, and the first time two English teenagers had ever combined for a goal in the Champions League.

“He’s 17 years old and playing on the biggest stage in football,” Rice said about Nwaneri. "It’s crazy. We see him every day in training, and he and Myles deserve to be playing. You should see them train, the way they have no fear, the way they want to come and perform. It was brilliant tonight.”

Mikel Merino — playing up front again because of the absentees — then made it 3-0 and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard scored twice, with Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori adding more luster to the win.

Calafiori entered at left-back shortly after Arsenal's third goal in the 31st minute, as Lewis Skelly was fortunate not to get a second yellow on a reckless challenge in their own defensive third.

Noa Lang later scored PSV's goal from the spot in the first half down 3-0, which came off a clumsy challenge from Arsenal defensive midfielder Thomas Partey.

The second leg in London is set for Wednesday, March 12, as the Gunners will look to officially seal their progression at home.

Should Arsenal go through, they will meet one of the La Liga giants in Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals. Real Madrid came on top at home in the first leg 2-1, with Brahim Diaz overruling Julian Alvarez's stunner.

Arsenal last season needed a second-leg penalty shootout to get past FC Porto in the round of 16, before ultimately not having enough attacking juice versus Bayern Munich in the quarters. Given the number of injuries the frontline is dealing with, that scenario could very well transpire again.

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