PSV vs Arsenal predictions: Champions League betting tips and odds

PSV vs Arsenal tips:

• PSV to win – 6/4 at SpreadEx
• Under 2.5 goals – 5/4 at Betfred
• Arsenal most cards – 11/8 at BetMGM

Arsenal are already in the pot for Monday’s Champions League knockout draw and are guaranteed to top Group B regardless of events at the Philips Stadion on Tuesday.

One may suppose, then, that boss Mikel Arteta will arrive in the Netherlands with his mind still on the Premier League title race. Arsenal slipped behind Liverpool with a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday and have four games scheduled between now and the FA Cup on 7 January. 

The Gunners have enjoyed a fairly straightforward return to European football’s elite-level competition after spending much of the past six years swilling around the Europa League.

They don’t need to win on Tuesday, although the £2.4m earned for a group stage match victory shouldn’t be sniffed at. The same goes for PSV, who are guaranteed second place in the group.

Arteta could therefore use the game to rotate his XI that looked off the boil at Villa Park. However, PSV are unbeaten since their 4-0 loss at the Emirates in September and that win bonus goes much further in the Eredivisie than the Premier League.

With that in mind, online bookmakers are a little stuck on how to price the Gunners this week. Here are three picks worth considering ahead of PSV vs. Arsenal.

PSV to win

The latest Champions League odds pit PSV as the slight favourites to win this match at 6/4 – odds that carry a 40 per cent likelihood. Arsenal are priced at 13/8 and those odds feel about right.

Arsenal may have fired four past the runaway Eredivisie leaders in London but this game is a different prospect. Both sides are already through and have their respective title battles to think about over Christmas.

The difference is that PSV have just one more Eredivisie game (and a KNVB Cup tie) before the Christmas break, while Arsenal have four Premier League encounters.

Allocation of resources is what gets Premier League managers through December and Arteta needs to be smart here. He will be without Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber, Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe, while Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba could be rested.

Granted, the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard could come in and pose a threat in Eindhoven, but this Arsenal team will be more vulnerable than usual on Tuesday. 

PSV, despite being without Noa Lang and Jordan Teze, could exploit a weakened Arsenal team.

Tip 1: PSV to win – 6/4 at SpreadEx

Under 2.5 goals

Arsenal have scored for fun in the Champions League this season but Tuesday could be a more testing affair

The Gunners may be averaging three goals a group game but PSV have tended to keep things tight. Their four games against Lens and Sevilla have either been drawn or split by a single goal.

PSV also haven’t conceded in their last three home games. They restricted Heerenveen to just a sole shot on target during last Thursday’s 2-0 league win.

Football betting sites reckon there’s a greater chance of witnessing under 2.5 goals at the Philips Stadion than a goal-fest. Their odds of 5/4 are worth considering.

Tip 2: Under 2.5 goals – 5/4 at Betfred

Arsenal most cards

Betting on cards is an option option for Tuesday’s game and the bookies reckon Arsenal will earn the most. Arsenal have averaged one yellow a game over their last eight outings, plus Fabio Vieira’s red against Burnley.

PSV, meanwhile, have averaged just 1.5 yellow cards per game over their last six outings.

Indeed, PSV have become masters in drawing cards from their opponents in the Champions League. Their last four European outings have yielded 15 yellows from the opposition and three red cards, of which just one was a straight red.

Arsenal come into Tuesday’s game frustrated by their inability to break down Aston Villa. If Arteta rests some of his regulars then the stand-ins – the likes of Jorginho and Jakub Kiwior – may struggle to get up to speed.

This could be a low-bookings match and at 11/8 we’re going with Arsenal to collect the most cards.

Tip 3: Arsenal most cards – 11/8 at BetMGM