Arsenal v PSV Champions League Tips: 10/3 Gunners to glide through

• Arsenal went goal crazy in the first leg and and can cruise again

• Visitors can't defend so Gunners appeal on the handicaps

• Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli can feature in 15/28.50 Bet Builder

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Arsenal v PSV
Wednesday 12 March, 20:00
Live on TNT Sports 2 & Discovery+

Gunners' first-leg goal blitz a contrast to PL form

Arsenal have managed to score just one Premier League goal in their last three games - losing at home to West Ham (0-1) and being held to draws by Nottingham Forest (0-0) and Manchester United (1-1).

It's not the greatest surprise either given their lack of choices up front after a series of injuries and (whisper it if Mikel Arteta is near) a failure to sign a striker in the transfer window.

So who would have predicted the Gunners smashing seven past PSV in the first leg? There's a feeling in the Dutch press that PSV are no great shakes but they'd certainly been able to mask that in this competition when knocking out Juventus in the playoffs.

Arsenal are now 15 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League so that looks gone but in this competition hope lives on. This tie is over and even though Real Madrid or Atletico await in the last eight, the Gunners could have players back when those games come round.

While the 7-1 first-leg win doesn't tell us much, finishing third in the eight-game 36-team Champions League table does. Only Liverpool - them again! - racked up more than Arsenal's tally of 19 points (six wins, a draw and a defeat). 

PSV playing for pride

Arsenal dominated from the off in the first leg but there was just a glimmer of hope for Peter Bosz's side when they pulled it back to 3-1 at half-time. Instead the second 45 was a total disaster as they totally capitulated.

So how to explain them knocking out Juventus? The facts show that a 3-1 home win got it done after they'd lost 2-1 away in Turin. But the wider context is that Juve aren't to be feared, sitting only fourth in Serie A after a 4-0 home drubbing by Atalanta at the weekend.

PSV were clearly shellshocked by that home hammering in the Philips Stadion although they did manage to bounce back with a 2-1 home win over Heerenveen at the weekend. But, again, context is needed. Despite being ninth, Heerenveen have lost more away games (10 out of 13) then any other team in the Dutch top flight this season.

PSV know this tie is dead so after their biggest home defeat in European competition, it's a question of how much pride they can rescue at the Emirates.

Hosts hot favourites 

Arsenal are just 2/51.40 to win this leg too. The Draw is 4/15.00 while PSV are 13/27.50.

So is there any case to be had for anything other than a Gunners win?

If there is, it's mainly that Arsenal will lack motivation. Having a six-goal margin going into the second leg of a Champions League last-16 tie is ridiculous so Arteta's team basically just have to go through the motions.

The other possible negative angle is that Arsenal only had eight shots on target in the first leg but scored seven of them. On those numbers the scoreline was a bit freakish, especially as Arsenal's XG was 1.91.

Gunners a play on the handicaps 

But, it all comes down to price, and I'm more than happy to take the hosts on the handicap at odds-against.

The 6/52.20 Arsenal -1 definitely appeals when coming from the viewpoint that PSV have conceded nine goals in their last three domestic away games.

True, they scored six goals themselves in those games against PEC Zwolle, NEC Nijmegen and Go Ahead Eagles but Arsenal, let's not forget, have the tightest defence in the Premier League.

Like a batsman looking for runs, this is a great chance for Arsenal to play themselves back into goalscoring form and rack up a few and I'll also add in Arsenal -2 at 10/34.33. That's landed in their last two home Champions League games thanks to a pair of 3-0 wins over Monaco and Dinamo Zagreb.

It could fizzle out into a meaningless damp squib of a game but after recent disappointments, Arteta will want his team to give the home crowd something to cheer. This should be an open goal to do just that.

Odegaard and Martinelli are Bet Builder options 

Martin Odegaard has come in for some criticism from the home fans this season but you couldn't argue with his first-leg performance as he bagged a brace.

Add in a goal in Arsenal's most recent home game in Europe - the win over Zagreb - and the skipper has three in his last three Champions League games.

This will also be a good chance for Gabriel Martinelli to get some minutes after he returned from injury with just over half and hour from the bench against Manchester United.

Arsenal had six different scorers in the first leg so it seems reasonable to expect two here. Backing both Odegaard and Martinelli to register in a home win pays around 15/28.50. 

Now read more Champions League tips here!