Arsenal stars dealt reality check as Gunners crash to sorry PSV loss

Mikel Arteta had urged his Arsenal fringe players to do their talking on the pitch in Eindhoven. If this was their attempt at waxing lyrical – this was a sobering reality check for those campaigning for more frequent opportunities.

For some – namely Albert Sambi Lokonga and Eddie Nketiah – this was a potentially defining night in their Arsenal careers, as they failed to cut the mustard in a one-sided 2-0 defeat that could have easily been by more had it not been for PSV’s wastefulness and the linesman’s flag.

A single point would have been enough for Arsenal to cement top spot in Group A and while that remains highly probable on match day six against FC Zurich, that game is no longer the dead-rubber Arteta craved three days before the Premier League trip to Chelsea.

This was a priceless opportunity to sew up first position and mathematically avoid an awkward knockout play-off clash against a high-profile Champions League dropout from a pool of big names including Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Sevilla, squandered.

And if there was anything to take from this toothless Arsenal display, it’s that nothing in football is guaranteed as last weekend’s blip at Southampton soon became a wobble.

After Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons saw two first-half goals ruled out for offside, PSV had the grit between their teeth after the interval and made their superiority count when Joey Veerman fired home the opener on 55 minutes.

Lokonga, who had expressed his frustration at his lack of playing time during a spicy interview in the Belgian press, was immediately substituted for losing his marker in the build-up to the goal – assisted by substitute striker Luuk de Jong.

The former Newcastle and Barcelona frontman, whose half-time introduction was the difference-maker, then headed home a second when the unconvincing Aaron Ramsdale failed to punch clear from a corner.

Arsenal had chances of their own but their lack of cutting edge was ruthlessly punished. Gabriel Martinelli volleyed over in the first half, while stand-in striker Nketiah failed to prove his point when squandered a glorious opening that would have dragged the Gunners back into the game.

The north London side remain top of the pile but there is still work to do before they officially dodge an unwanted banana skin in the round of 32.