Even if there were an incredibly remarkable comeback in the Premier League, one that could outdo the team from the 1997 - 98 season – which was 12 points behind Manchester United in February but still managed to win the English league title – Arsenal's best chance to salvage a difficult season with some trophies likely lies in European competitions.

Mikel Merino's impressive two - goal performance against Leicester City seems like a distant memory now. Since then, the Gunners have, for the first time in nearly two years, failed to score in two consecutive games. They lost to West Ham United and then played a frustrating goalless draw away to Nottingham Forest.

With Liverpool pulling further ahead in the Premier League – now 13 points clear at the top of the table – an Arsenal side short of strikers will likely soon turn its attention to securing a top - four finish. Meanwhile, they'll also try to overcome their attacking player shortages in Europe, where their league - phase performances had generated a lot of optimism.

Only Liverpool and Barcelona performed better than Arteta's team in the first stage. Now, the Gunners are aiming to win five consecutive games in a single Champions League tournament for the first time since the 2005 - 06 season. In that season, it was Barcelona who dashed their hopes in the final held in Paris.

That will certainly be easier said than done while four integral forwards watch on helplessly from the treatment room, so defence ought to be the best form of attack for Arsenal for the duration of their European journey, as they have given up a tournament-low 0.73 Expected Goals (xG) per game in the 2024-25 UCL.

Arsenal's rearguard excellence is a stark contrast to a PSV side who have only kept one clean sheet in their 10 Champions League engagements so far this season, but Peter Bosz's men fought fire with fire to earn a quick reunion with the Gunners at the expense of Juventus.

Atoning for a 2-1 loss in the first leg of their playoff tie, the Rood-Witten were nearly taken the distance by Thiago Motta's men in the return fixture, but defender Ryan Flamingo wrote his hero arc with the critical goal in extra time to seal a 4-3 aggregate triumph.

However, PSV's drama-filled playoff success was not the catalyst for an upturn in domestic fortunes, and Bosz's men host Arsenal on the back of two shock defeats to Go Ahead Eagles, a 2-1 KNVB Beker loss and a 3-2 Eredivisie reverse on Saturday.

The Eindhoven outfit now have just one win on their record from their last six games in all competitions, giving Ajax the chance to surge eight points clear at the top of the Eredivisie table, and they only have one clean sheet to show from their last 14 contests, conceding multiple goals in 11 of them.

Speaking of PSV shipping multiple goals, the Dutch side were slain 4-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates in last year's group stage, but a 1-1 dead-rubber draw in Eindhoven extended their unbeaten home record against the Gunners to four games, only going down to the London club on their own patch all the way back in 2002.

There should be no change to Arsenal's injury situation on Tuesday, as Kai Havertz (hamstring), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Gabriel Martinelli (hamstring), Gabriel Jesus (ACL) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are still on the long road to recovery.

However, the visitors' squad will at least be strengthened by the return of Myles Lewis-Skelly from a domestic ban, and the teenager should come straight back in for Riccardo Calafiori, who had Arsenal's best chance against Forest before being taken off at the break due to a red card risk.

Lewis-Skelly's fellow Hale End graduate Ethan Nwaneri is also a nailed-on starter despite recent cramping episodes, and the 2007-born prospect is now set to join Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden as just the third English player to start a Champions League knockout game before turning 18.

Similarly, PSV's main selection concerns also lie up front, as Malik Tillman (leg), Ricardo Pepi (knee) and teenage winger Esmir Bajraktarevic (unspecified) will play no part in Tuesday's first leg, while left-back Mauro Junior is doubtful due to a bone bruise.

Unlike Arsenal, the hosts responded to their attacking deficiencies by entering the free agent market, signing one-time Gunners striker Lucas Perez, although the veteran Spaniard is ineligible for the Champions League and will therefore not reunite with his old team.

Instead, PSV's captain and chief marksman Luuk de Jong is poised to play his 50th game in the Champions League this week, becoming just the fifth Dutch striker to hit that milestone after Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Patrick Kluivert and Roy Makaay - elite company indeed.

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Ledezma, Flamingo, Boscagli, Malacia; Veerman, Schouten; Bakayoko, Saibari, Lang; De Jong

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard