Arsenal vs PSV Prediction, Lineups and Odds: Best bets at the Emirates

After stuttering once again at the weekend and allowing Liverpool to stroll further towards the Premier League title, Arsenal’s hopes of any success this season once again rest on the Champions League.

They’re as good as into the last eight of the competition after obliterating PSV 7-1 in the first leg in Eindhoven, making this effectively a dead rubber.

PSV are also 12 points behind Ajax in the Eredivisie and out of their domestic cup competitions, so they are playing for nothing but pride in London.

Being an ex-Spurs player, one member of the PSV side who shouldn’t lack in motivation despite the game state should be Ivan Perisic. The Croatian winger has been all action this season and with this bet we can also take advantage of Bet365’s new ‘Sub on, Play on’ promotion, whereby our bet will carry over to any replacement player should he be taken off.

In terms of shots, Perisic has averaged 1.89 per 90 this season and had two efforts at goal in the first leg. He’s also in decent form in front of goal with 18 shots and two goals in his last six starts in all competitions. In three Champions League appearances, he’s managed ten shots and so with PSV having nothing to lose, he feels a good bet for at least one in this game.

When it comes to tackles, our man is making 1.48 per 90 and has had at least one in seven of his last eight starts in all competitions, including two in the first leg. Across the aforementioned games in Europe, he’s made seven tackles with at least two in every game. His experience as a left back make him a good option for tackles and with him likely to be tracking Leandro Trossard who is dispossessed nearly two times per game, he should be busy enough to make a tackle.

Perisic is also no stranger to drawing the attention of the referee, committing 1.02 fouls per 90. He’s made at least one infringement in each of his three games in this competition and when he could be opposing Myles Lewis-Skelly who draws 2.79 fouls per 90, he should be able to continue that trend.

With Arsenal almost certain to rest regular starters, Raheem Sterling looks set to start for just the ninth time since arriving in the summer. The former England winger has struggled to make an impact in North London and has been caught offside 0.73 times per 90 in his limited appearances, double any other Gunners player. Across his nine starts, he’s been caught offside in six of them and so is clearly going early very often.

PSV don’t have the highest of defensive lines, drawing just 1.12 per game but whilst they were humbled in last week’s meeting, one thing that did work was their offside trap as Arsenal fell into it on four occasions. That recent success coupled with Sterling’s record makes him a must bet in this market if he starts as expected.

Arsenal vs PSV Lineups

The starting lineups for Arsenal vs PSV will be displayed in the graphic below once the team news has been announced.