Arsenal 2-2 PSV (9-3 agg): Gunners enjoy serene passage into the Champions League quarter-final as goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Declan Rice set up Madrid clash

Mikel Arteta challenged his Arsenal players to reinforce their return to the upper echelons of European football by daring to look beyond Real Madrid to the last four of the Champions League.

‘It’s very difficult but we are capable to do it,’ said Arteta after easing past PSV Eindhoven last night reaching the quarter finals for a second successive season.

Last season, they fell to Bayern Munich and next month they will be back in illustrious company against Real, holders and 15-times European champions, who squeezed by neighbours Atletico on penalties.

‘We are for the second consecutive season in the Champions League quarter-finals and we have to recognise it is very difficult to do,’ said Arteta. ‘Now we want to make the next step.

‘It is important, because we want to win, because the club needs it, we are a club that wants to be the best and wants to be competing with the best in the world.

‘To do that you have to constantly be there and it’s very difficult and we’ve done it for two years in a row and we have the capacity and ability to do it even better.’

Oleksandr Zinchenko opened the scoring against the side he played for in the 2016-17 season

 Ivan Perisic equalised for the visitors, who were determined to exit the competition on a high

Arsenal plundered seven goals of eight shots on target in Eindhoven and continued in the same vein when Oleksandr Zinchenko found the net with the first effort of the second leg, a goal fizzed past goalkeeper Walter Benitez from 25 yards.

Zinchenko declined to celebrate his first Arsenal goal for nearly 500 days on account of a dozen games on loan at PSV from Manchester City rather than the fact it was his team’s eighth of the tie.

Those in the away end hardly seemed to notice. They were too busy making sure they had a good time, having been reimbursed their ticket money by the Dutch champions way of apology for the first-leg thrashing.

They did enjoy it though when Ivan Perisic levelled on the night, a deft finish by the 36-year-old former Tottenham winger, playing as a centre forward.

Perisic sprinted to retrieve the ball as if there might be a way back. Then Couhaib Driouech drew a fine save from David Raya, which served to enhance what was a very surreal atmosphere inside the Emirates.

There were swathes of empty seats, especially in the upper tier, although Arteta to his credit sent out an experienced team with a first start since injury for Ben White, and a mentality to go for more goals.

Myles Lewis-Skelly hit a post before Declan Rice headed in Arsenal’s second on the night, a header from a cross by Raheem Sterling, after he skipped past two defenders on the right wing.

‘That’s the kind of player we want to see,’ said Arteta. ‘I’m very happy for him and other individuals who haven’t played a lot of minutes recently.’

Couhaib Driouech levelled for the second time on the night, with a superb chip past David Raya

Arsenal progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals where they will face Real Madrid

Sterling, without a goal since a Carabao Cup tie against Bolton in September, sparkled in the first half but could not find the net despite two excellent chances, one at the end of each half.

Both were saved by keeper Benitez, then he took out his frustration with a wild challenge in stoppage time which drew a yellow card which leaves him banned an unavailable in the first leg of the quarter final, at home against Real Madrid.

PSV were the better team in the second half but denied by Raya saves and careless finishing before Driouech scored the sweetest goal of the night, a delectable chip, before the closing stages were disrupted by substitutions.

‘Unfortunately, didn’t win the game,’ said Arteta. ‘We decided to make rotation in the second half. You could see we were tired in the second half but overall, very happy.’