Three Things We Learned after Arsenal pummelled PSV

Seven-tastic as records tumble on a historic evening

A great team display on a record-breaking night in The Netherlands all but assures us of a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

 Here are three things that stood out for me, writes Ian Mills 

 1 - What a difference goals make

– having had the weekend off following the goalless draw at Forest, we had had plenty of time to stew on recent disappointing results.

However, those days of reflection appear to have been spent in a positive way rather navel gazing as we started this tie on the front foot. Declan Rice, who was immense throughout, played a great cross to the far post where Jurrien Timber was lurking to head home his second Gunners goal and one that would have tasted all the sweeter for the former Ajax man.

The second goal was made in Hale End as Myles Lewis-Skelly’s cross was smartly finished by Ethan Nwaneri.

Mikel Merino added a third having been gifted the ball in the penalty area and despite a lengthy VAR check it was allowed to stand. Partey’s clumsy foul in our area gifted PSV a lifeline via the penalty spot close to half time and the fear was that the home side might mount a comeback.

Any chances of that were clinically ended as first Martin Odegaard scored and then Trossard’s clever finish made it 5-1 by the 48th minute. Odegaard’s second and his clever pass to Calafiori to add a seventh rounded off a remarkable evening.

It was hard to believe this was the same side that had failed to score in three of our previous four fixtures.

2 - We have a blueprint for the way forward

– Odegaard’s return to form (having been heavily criticised unfairly by some keyboard warriors) was great to see.

He led the press from the front and our ability to interchange positions was never more evident than our left back latching onto in the right wing berth and scoring our seventh goal as Calafiori completed the scoring.

While it is to be hoped than Saka and Martinelli will be able to return at some point in April, this performance and result can hopefully instil some confidence into the side to be able to contend with our remaining games this month.

We can rest players for the second leg allowing us to go full strength at Old Trafford this Sunday.

3 - Seven-tastic as records tumble on a historic evening

– This was PSV’s heaviest ever home defeat.

We became the first-ever team to score seven away goals in a single Champions League knockout game

Arsenal are the first-ever side to have six different goal scorers – barring own goals – in a Champions League knockout game away from home.

The Gunners are now the quickest team to net five away goals in the Champions League, with Trossard’s strike for 5-1 coming in the 48th minute.

The result meant that we have now won five successive Champions League games – in the same tournament – for the first time since the 2005-06 season when we went onto reach the final

Nwaneri’s goal saw him become the third-youngest goal scorer in a Champions League knockout game at the age of 17 year and 384 days

Finally, two English teens had combined for a Champions League goal for the first time in the competition’s history.