PSV Eindhoven vs Arsenal - Europa League: Team news, lineups & prediction
By Tom Gott
Arsenal can seal top spot in their Europa League group with a point away to PSV Eindhoven on Thursday evening.
Already five points clear of the Dutch side, Arsenal have done enough to qualify already but cannot afford to underestimate a PSV team who are still mathematically in the hunt for first place and need a win to boost their own chances of qualification.
Here's all you need to know about this one.
Where are PSV vs Arsenal playing?
- Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Stadium: Philips Stadion
- Date: Thursday 27 October
- Kick-off Time: 17:45 BST / 12:45 EST / 09:45 PST
- VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
- Referee: Marco Di Bello (ITA)
PSV vs Arsenal H2H Results
- PSV: 1 Win
- Arsenal: 3 Wins
- Draws: 3
Current Form (Last Five Games)
- PSV: WWWLL
- Arsenal: WWWWD
PSV team news
For the first time this season, Ruud van Nistelrooy has all of his key players fully fit and available. Luuk de Jong, Noni Madueke and Mauro Junior have been eased back from injury, being brought off the bench in the last two matches, but should all be fit enough to start.
Young talents Ismael Saibari and Yorbe Vertessen are still unavailable through injury though, as is long-term absentee Oscar Boscagli.
PSV predicted lineup vs Arsenal
PSV Starting XI (4-3-3): Benitez; Mwene, Ramalho, Obispo, Mauro Junior; Sangare, Gutierrez, Simons; Madueke, De Jong, Gakpo.
Bench: Drommel, Waterman, Branthwaite, Teze, Hoever, Max, Van Ginkel, Veerman, Ledezma, Til, Bakayoko, El Ghazi.
Arsenal team news
It's as it was for Mikel Arteta. Mohamed Elneny and Emile Smith Rowe are both long-term absentees, and although there is some optimism over Oleksandr Zinchenko's recovery from a calf problem, the Ukrainian won't be back just yet,
The boss wants an emphatic performance but has a core group of players he relies on for the Europa League, so expect the likes of Matt Turner and Fabio Vieira to return to the starting lineup.
Granit Xhaka is one yellow card away from a one-game suspension and it would be really handy if he picked that up here so he could serve his ban in the final group game.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs PSV
Arsenal Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Turner; Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Xhaka, Lokonga; Saka, Vieira, Martinelli; Nketiah.
Bench: Ramsdale, Hein, Saliba, Cedric, White, Ibrahim, Partey, Smith, Nelson, Odegaard, Marquinhos, Jesus.
PSV vs Arsenal score prediction
Arsenal would love an emphatic response to their recent slip-up against Southampton but their Europa League unit hasn't always hit those sorts of levels, and they may find it tough in the intimidating Eindhoven atmosphere against a PSV side who need a win if they are to have any hope of qualifying in first place.
The Dutch side were outplayed when these two met last week but did well to hang on and keep the score down to 1-0, and they will absolutely demand a better performance on home soil.
In the end, it looks tough to separate these two.
Prediction: PSV 1-1 Arsenal