Arsenal given wake-up call by PSG but now know how they can seal Champions League comeback

The stage was set for a big European night but . Outclassed, outmanoeuvred and outfought, this was a bad night for when Arsenal’s Champions League ambitions were put into stark perspective.

Only when mixed it with some good, old fashioned blood and thunder did they give themselves a fighting chance but dished out a proper schooling at times. Arsenal looked overwhelmed by the whole occasion and were miles off the team which .

The saving grace for Arsenal boss Arteta was that, despite being second best, they are still in the tie ahead of the return leg in the Parc des Princes next Wednesday. And they can count themselves lucky because PSG, who have already knocked out Liverpool and Aston Villa, were simply too good, too slick and too polished at the Emirates.

You can look for excuses or reasons - the suspended was a big miss in midfield - but PSG have produced some of the best performances in the Champions League this season and this was another masterclass. There must also be a lesson for Arsenal in that you cannot turn performances on and off and they could not lift themselves from the drop off in form in the Premier League.

It is now a worry for Arteta as they have still not secured their Champions League place for next season but have to balance Saturday’s clash with Bournemouth between the two PSG ties. As the clock ticked down, the Emirates felt very flat as too often this season Arsenal have flattered to deceive and just could not raise themselves for another big crescendo.

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The credit has to go to PSG boss Luis Enrique who just managed the game with Portugal star Vitinha producing another midfield masterclass while forwards Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele were devastating in attack. Arteta did at least get the big atmosphere he wanted as the Arsenal manager even made a pre-recorded video address to the crowd before kick-off, trying to whip them up.

It felt like a big occasion and the Emirates was as loud as it has ever been - but even that did not last long. PSG were ahead inside four minutes and that really killed the mood. Kvaratskhelia was given acres of space down the left and his clever pull back found Dembele swept his low shot through a crowd of players to leave Arsenal keeper David Raya unsighted and the ball flew in off the far post.

In the first half an hour, PSG had 75 per cent possession and Arsenal could not get near them. It took Arsenal too long to start mixing it, upping the tempo and playing their own game. When they did, they realised they had a puncher’s chance against a heavyweight champion.

Jakub Kiwior cut the ball back for Mikel Merino but PSG’s Joao Neves made a perfectly-timed tackle to stop a certain goal. Now, finally, they had some momentum.

Bukayo Saka got booked as frustration got the better of him while Gabriel Martinelli went though - albeit it would have been a tight VAR offside call - but his shot was straight at PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic made himself unpopular in the first half as Arsenal’s anger at officials took over again. And they got really upset when Merino appeared to have headed Arsenal level two minutes after the restart but a VAR check showed he was offside.

Leandro Trossard went through but was denied by a brilliant save by Donnarumma but those are the chances you have to take. PSG substitutes Goncalo Ramos and Bradley Barcola went close late on when the visitors were dangerous on the break. And try as they might with all their huff and puff, Arsenal just could not find a way back.

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