The Calafiori-inspired Gunners trash PSV 7-1 to book their trip for Madrid with a game to spare

Report and Photo by Alessandro Schiavone at Philips Stadium, Eindhoven.

Goals: Timber (18'), Nwaneri (21'), Merino (31') Odegaard (47', 73'), Trossard (48'), Calafiori (85') [Arsenal] Lang (43' penalty) [PSV]

Arsenal toyed with PSV Eindhoven's European reputation, carefully crafted after shock wins over Liverpool and Juventus, by brushing the reigning Dutch champions aside 7-1.

Given Arsenal's injury crisis and their troubles in front of goal not many expected Arsenal to find the back of the net at Philips Stadium. Let alone score seven. And the way they did it! This was the day everything caught up with the Dutch.

And Mikel Arteta's men turned what looked a 50-50 tie ahead of kick-off into a historic demolition. PSV Eindhoven the sparring partner, Arsenal the ring kings. Peter Bosz's men looking like clueless college boys in awe of NBA stars in front of them.

Tonight Arsenal became the first team to score seven goals in an away Champions League knockout game.

Seeing is believing and PSV could have taken the lead on 16 minutes but for Ismael Saibari to hit the frame of the gaping goal, albeit under a challenge, before Ivan Perisic rammed the follow-up over.

That was a crucial moment in the fixture and perhaps tie as Arsenal went down the other end and took the lead with Jurrien Timber heading home Declan Rice's delicious delivery. Ethan Nwaneri then buried his friend Myles Lewis-Skelly's square ball before Mikel Merino punished the futile hosts with a low finish in an apocalyptic first half-hour in south Holland.

Noah Lang reduced the arrears from 12 yards with a well-struck penalty. Ex-Newcastle flop Luuk de Jong even had the chance to make it 3-2 just before the break but his header from Man United loanee Tyrell Malacia missed the target.

In the second-half the confidence-shot Dutch crumbled completely by conceding four more. It started with Martin Odegaard letting his killers' instincts loose after Walter Benitez pushed a low cross into his path.

Riccardo Calafiori completed the rout with an assist for Leandro Trossard and a fine goal, sandwiched by the revitalised Norwegian's second.

That's job done for the Gunners who can already plan ahead and book their tickets for Madrid.

It only remains to be seen whether they are heading to the Bernabeu to take on Real or the Wanda Metropolitano for a date with Diego Simeone's Atletico side.