Mikel Arteta's much-changed squad brushed off their title race disappointment to cruise through to the Champions League quarter-finals

It made any high-scoring predictions for Tuesday’s meeting with PSV seem fanciful but as manager Mikel Arteta said in his post-match press conference, “That’s the beauty of football.” Advertisement The 7-1 win in the first leg of a Champions League round of 16 tie was the first time Arsenal had scored that many goals in a single match under Arteta.

COMMENT: Mikel Arteta watched Arsenal put seven past PSV Eindhoven and prove a point to their doubters after failing to sign a No. 9 in January.

Raheem Sterling admitted his Arsenal loan spell has not gone how he’d hoped but is ready to kick on and impress Mikel Arteta in the closing stages of the season. The 30-year-old was an unusued substitute on the weekend as Arsenal drew 1-1 with Manchester United but made a rare start on Wednesday as the Gunners faced PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta called on Arsenal to take the "next step" after booking their place in the Champions League last eight in successive seasons for the first time in 15 years. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Declan Rice were on the scoresheet as the Gunners drew 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium to win 9-3 on aggregate after dealing the Eredivisie side a 7-1 drubbing in the reverse fixture.