Match Coverage

PSV boss hits back after Arsenal thrashing with two key moments that could’ve changed Champions League outcome

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PSV Eindhoven manager Peter Bosz endured a nightmare opening leg of the Champions League round of 16 tie with Arsenal.

After watching his PSV side overcome Juventus to reach the knockouts, Bosz was humiliated by Mikel Arteta on home soil.

Arsenal thrashed PSV 7-1 to take a healthy six-goal lead into the second leg at the Emirates, on what was a night of no mercy from the Gunners.

Though Arsenal have one foot in the quarter-final, Arteta insisted that the tie is not over, with another 90 minutes to play in North London before plans for a Madrid meeting can commence.

PSV Eindhoven v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 First Leg
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Peter Bosz thinks two moments could’ve prevented Arsenal’s win over PSV

Arsenal humbled PSV in a way that shocked many, as Arteta’s players ensured no stone was left unturned at the Philips Stadion.

The win was significant as Arsenal matched a European scoring record set by George Graham’s 1993/94 squad, who of course went on to win major silverware.

Prior to the game, PSV had confidence as former Tottenham player Ivan Perisic insisted Arsenal were ‘missing something’ ahead of the clash.

Perisic was left red-faced by the Gunners but, PSV’s manager believes the game could’ve been entirely different.

“Painful, it’s humiliating and surprising. That you don’t win against Arsenal, that can happen, but we didn’t do this well,” Bosz told the media in his pre-match press conference.

The coach then went on to highlight ‘two moments’ in the first half that almost set the tie up to be contrasting to its eight-goal outcome.

“There are two moments when it could have been a match. The moment when Saibari hit the crossbar and the moment when that boy could have maybe gotten his second yellow card.”

PSV went agonisingly close to scoring at 0-0, hitting the crossbar before Arsenal went on to score three in 15 minutes.

That wasn’t the only critical moment that Bosz took from the defeat, as he admitted that Myles Lewis-Skelly ‘could have’ been sent off.

Myles Lewis-Skelly was lucky not to see red

Though it was a memorable night for the Hale End graduate, the 18-year-old’s performance was cut short as Arteta hooked the left-back in the first half.

The substitution in the 35th minute came after Lewis-Skelly almost saw red for a second bookable offence within a short timeframe. 

Ten minutes after receiving a yellow card, the Englishman continued to dive into tackles, with many believing that the academy product was fortunate to remain on the pitch. 

Arsenal fans called for Lewis-Skelly to improve his discipline, seeing Arteta remove the danger to avoid a sending-off in the first leg. 

Bosz was fair to raise the teenager’s near-red card as a moment that could’ve changed the direction of the game, in what was a real let-off of Arsenal.