Champions League offers Arsenal chance to salvage season

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is hoping the glamour of the Champions League can galvanise his injury-ravaged squad from their Premier League funk.

The Gunners’ dream of a first league title in 21 years appears over after falling 13 points behind runaway leaders Liverpool.

Conquering Europe for the first time now appears their only chance of ending a five-year trophy drought and a kind last-16 draw with PSV Eindhoven could buy Arteta time to get some of his key attackers back.

Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have been ruled out for the rest of the season with serious hamstring and knee injuries respectively.

But Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli could return for the quarter-finals next month should Arsenal progress.

The absence of all four forwards has been keenly felt as Arsenal failed to score in their last two Premier League games against West Ham and Nottingham Forest to realistically end their title aspirations.

Midfielder Mikel Merino has deputised as a makeshift striker, while Arteta has been forced to rely on teenager Ethan Nwaneri in Saka’s normal wide right role.

“I know that what’s lacking is that piece up there,” said Arteta. “There’s a lot to play for and we need to find the solution to unlock it.

“We have the Champions League, we have a beautiful competition in front of us and we have to ready for Tuesday.”

A lack of creativity as well as cutting edge in the final third has been a common occurence all season for Arsenal.

The visitors managed just one shot on target in a 0-0 draw at Forest last week, the ninth time this season they have failed to score in a match.

Captain Martin Odegaard has struggled to hit the heights of the previous two seasons since recovering from an ankle injury that kept him out for two months