ARSENAL face an uphill battle next week.
The Gunners suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in their all-important Champions League semi-final home leg.
Ousmane Dembele stunned the Emirates Stadium into silence when his first-time shot hit the post and bounced over the line just three minutes into the match.
After a nervous start, it took the Gunners around 20 minutes to settle.
But when they did, the momentum began to swing in their favour.
Gabriel Martinelli came close with an attempted volley following a cross in from the left at the end of the first half.
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And just moments into the second, Mikel Merino finally put the ball in the net – only for it to be chalked offside after a lengthy VAR check.
The Gunners came close again shortly after, with Leandro Trossard‘s low strike brilliantly palmed clear by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
But they found themselves under more pressure towards the end of the second half.
Luckily for them, PSG were unable to finish their chances.
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It’s not over – there is still at least 90 minutes to be played.
But away from home, it will not be easy.
Here’s how SunSports Jordan Davies rated the performance.…
DAVID RAYA – 8
Looked a bit rushed at times on the ball out from the back, thanks largely to the immense pressing and pace of Dembele.
Soon after, following instructions from the bench, he began to go long more often with mixed success as Arsenal struggled to keep possession.
But then came an incredible reflex save down to his right to deny Doue to keep the scores at 1-0. Had that gone in, it could have been all over.
JURRIEN TIMBER – 5
From the word go, the Dutchman struggled to contain PSG’s attack, and genuinely looked terrified when Kvaratskhelia sprinted at him in the opening minutes as Dembele made it 1-0.
It is rare to see Timber look so frazzled against an opponent. This is just a reminder of the levels of a Champions League semi-final. Even the most talented can be made to look silly at times. Timber was having one of those evenings.
Arteta responded by giving him a right earful on the touchline after a pass went astray. It was perhaps surprising that he was not taken off until the 83rd minute.
WILLIAM SALIBA – 7
Arsenal’s rock again, under much more pressure than in both legs of the quarter final against Real Madrid, with some cute balls out to start Arsenal attacks.
Held up Dembele well at times and was a nuisance in the box from attacking set-plays, playing his part in Merino’s equaliser only for VAR to spoil the celebrations.
JAKUB KIWIOR – 7
Was largely mistake-free against Madrid and started in the same fashion here, but his lack of physicality and pace was proving an issue, especially with the likes of Dembele and Hakimi nipping in and around him.
But when Arsenal needed some diagonal balls sprayed out to the wings in search of some territory, the Pole was more than happy to step up and deliver with impressive accuracy.
Confidence is now dripping off him – funny what starting a few games on the spin can do for you…
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 7
He made history at kick-off as the youngest Englishman and Prem player to play in a Champions League semi-final.
And throughout, he was one of the calmest players on the pitch, even when he was up against it with Doue down his throat at some serious speed.
With the hosts struggling to put together a few passes, his decision to invert more than usual – basically playing as a midfielder at times – worked well as the game wore on.
He slipped in Martinelli that should have made it 1-1 before the break.
DECLAN RICE – 6
Man of the Match against Madrid, this was a slight comedown. Nerves? Too much adrenaline? Whatever it was, Rice was not as impactful as he has been.
It is harsh, but fingers can be pointed to him for Dembele’s goal, deciding to leave the Frenchman unmarked on the edge of the box to go and help Timber stop Kvaratskhelia.
It was a costly decision, and other than a few runs – and what looked to be an assist for Merino – it was a quiet evening for the England midfielder.
To be a big-game player, you need to turn up in every big game – no exceptions. A response in Paris is needed.
MIKEL MERINO – 6
Back in midfield with Partey suspended, the speed and intensity of this one looked to be too much for the Spaniard – who has spent the past few months leading the line.
He was being run ragged, and just showed how much Arsenal miss Partey when he is absent – yet he still showed glimpses of what he can bring.
Winning a free-kick seconds into the second half, his header was classic Merino, finding the bottom corner. However, his timing was off as VAR eventually showed with a lengthy offside check.
MARTIN ODEGAARD – 5
What is up with Odegaard? You cannot knock his effort and his engine, leading Arsenal’s press diligently and passionately as always.
But where is the magic on the ball we are so used to seeing from the Norwegian? He needs to be grabbing games by the scruff of the neck and creating something from nothing.
Instead, he appears to be letting 90-minute performances pass him by without making his mark. Without him, Arsenal’s creativity is seriously lacking, and that’s a serious problem.
Needing a goal in the dying moments, Odegaard was subbed off for Nwaneri. Says it all…
BUKAYO SAKA – 7
For the first 20 minutes, Saka was merely a spectator, and there was nothing he could do about it as his teammates struggled to give him the service to attack the right with venom.
Gradually though, he began to cause mayhem with his mazy runs, first as a provider with a beauty of a back-post cross that Martinelli could only fling a toe at.
It is a rare sight seeing Saka frustrated, but we saw just that as he picked up a yellow for kicking the ball away having been pulled up for a foul that definitely was not.
Had the whistle not been blown, he would have been through and likely found the net. That was his best chance of the match.
LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6
The Belgian had a daunting task leading the line in one of Arsenal’s biggest nights for years. It was a lot to ask of him and he did his best with the little service he had.
An early yellow card did not help, tugging on Hakimi’s shirt, but it was arguably necessary to stop a deadly counter.
His big chance came in the second half. Similar to Martinelli’s in the first half, it was a fine stop by Donnarumma yet you expect the net to bulge. Arteta could not believe it.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 6
He came into this game as a man in form, and with an incredible record of never losing when he scores, with 50 goals from 44 games in his Arsenal career so far.
Goal number 51 should have been gobbled up when he looked destined to score down the right one-on-one. His finish was not clinical, the curl not curly enough to spin around Donnarumma.
That ruthless quality is still missing from his game.
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SUBS
BEN WHITE (TIMBER, 83) – N/A
ETHAN NWANERI (ODEGAARD, 90) – N/A
