Thomas Partey sends Arsenal message after he messed up in record thrashing
Arsenal put one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after an emphatic victory against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday (4 March).
The Gunners thrashed PSV 7-1 in the first leg of their Round of 16 match in what proved to be a game to remember for Mikel Arteta’s men.
Arsenal became the first team in Champions League history to score seven goals away from home in a knockout stage match, which was the first time they’d scored seven in Europe since beating Slavia Prague 7-0 back in 2007.
The goals came from all over the pitch with Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori all getting on the scoresheet, while Martin Odegaard added a brace.
Arsenal have now put themselves in a commanding position heading into the second leg which will take place at the Emirates Stadium.
However, the Gunners will have a crucial Premier League clash against Man United on Sunday (9 March) before they play the second leg.
Thomas Partey got away with a mistake
Thomas Partey wasn’t among the goals, but was instead focused in the middle of the pitch to help the team defensively.
The 31-year-old did give PSV a chance to get back into the game toward the end of the first half when he gave away a penalty, which Noa Lang scored.
| Match Stats | Partey |
| Minutes Played | 71 |
| Accurate Passes | 38/41 (93%) |
| Clearances | 3 |
| Defensive Actions | 6 |
| Fouls | 2 |
PSV brought the game to 3-1 just in time for the break, but Arsenal showed no signs of slowing down with a second-half performance that simply blew their opponents away.
Partey celebrated the victory on Instagram after the game by saying, “What a night.”
Arsenal prove they don’t need a striker
Arsenal’s victory will go a long way in silencing any critics they have had regarding their attacking qualities amid a major injury crisis at the club.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are both out of action for the remainder of the season due to injuries, leaving the Gunners without an out-and-out striker.
Arteta is also without his other main talisman in Bukayo Saka due to injury, with Merino stepping in to play upfront during this problematic period.
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