5 things that have changed since Arsenal beat PSG as Arteta faces new challenge

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal made light work of seeing off PSG when they clashed in the Champions League group phase, but the French champions have excelled since that defeat

Mikel Arteta is preparing Arsenal to face PSG in the last four of the Champions League as a potential final lays within their sights. The Gunners have already seen off the French side this season – but they’re a very different prospect this time round.

Arsenal cruised to a 2-0 win over the Ligue 1 champions back in October, making light work of a side regarded as a European heavyweight. At that point Luis Enrique’s side looked like anything but European champions elect, but six months later the landscape has changed.

Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scored for Arsenal when they downed the Parisians, but the French outfit have since ended Liverpool and Aston Villa’s hopes in Europe. They’ve also seen off Manchester City and now want to end more English dreams.

Enrique has finally got PSG to click and the manner in which they beat Liverpool especially saw the rest of Europe stand up and take note. Arteta may have got one over on his fellow Spaniard, but the former Barcelona boss appears to have found a winning formula.

Arsenal themselves know that their season is Champions League or bust when it comes to claiming any silverware. They’ve so far risen to the challenge, ousting Real Madrid in sensational fashion, but PSG present arguably an even tougher assignment.

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The first leg takes place at the Emirates on Tuesday night as the Parisians head to north London for the second time this season. They pose a very different threat though and Arteta will do well to read little into the contest they played out back in October. We take a look at just how much has changed since that game.

Dembele takes centre stage

For so long he was tipped to be one of Europe’s stellar names, but that was rarely the case at Barcelona. His move to PSG didn’t initially lead to much change but now, as the team’s central point of attack, he has really found his mojo. For so long he was deployed on the wings but Dembele is now the team’s false nine and looking more comfortable than ever. He scored the PSG winner at Anfield back in March and has continued to cause havoc for defending teams with William Saliba needing to be on top form.

Team ethos excels

For so long PSG haven’t had a quality problem, they’ve had a togetherness problem. When you’ve got the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in your front three you’re going to win in certain areas and lose in others. Mbappe was never renowned for his defensive work rate, but this PSG side have embraced the lack of an out and out superstar. As a result the desire, hunger and lack of ego has created a collective environment that we’ve not seen before in Paris.

Arsenal’s makeshift attack

Havertz was one of the goalscorers back in October but there will no calling upon the German this time. Injury ended his season at the start of the year and in his absence Arteta has been looking for someone else to lead the line. Havertz is far from the most prolific players ever, but he’s often been credited for helping the rest of the team function. The likes of Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard, who could both fill in, do not represent the same problems for the PSG defence.

Containing Kvaratskhelia

When Arsenal played PSG earlier this season Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was wearing the blue of Napoli. A January move took him to France though and he’s quickly established himself as part of the frontline with PSG. Only the offside flag denied him a goal against Liverpool, but he produced some individual brilliance against Villa. He adds another dynamic to the PSG attack and, if he can be controlled, then the blossoming Desire Doue continues to entertain on the opposite flank.

Arsenal are all in

Rewind several months ago and Arsenal will have thought they could reel in Liverpool in the Premier League title race. They were in the hunt for the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup hadn’t yet begun. Three trophies were on the table but they’ve all now passed Arteta by. It means Europe is the only hope he and the club have of ending a silverware drought that goes back five years. That added pressure has fuelled them in previous rounds, but they’re very much Champions League or bust this season.

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