Gary Neville believes that Arsenal can turn their semi-final deficiency from the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain to continue to the final of the Champions League-out of the French side “very nervous” for these kinds of competitions.
The Gunners of Mikel Arteta go to Paris and have to cancel the 1-0 victory of PSG from the first stage in the Emirates Stadium if they want to reach the final of Munich on 31 May.
Arsenal lost the first stage thanks to the fourth minute opener of Ousmane Dembele and while the Gunners saw a mick Merino header excluded for offside, PSG did not have a breakdown when Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos missed great opportunities.
“Arsenal got a chance on Wednesday,” says Neville. “It is clearly a completely different game, it is obvious. But you can go there and cause some shocks.
“I have been there a few times and saw Real Madrid win there and I saw Manchester United win there. PSG is getting very nervous when the wrong things happen to them in that stadium.
“If Arsenal can just linger there, stay in the game and score a goal – then before you know it, stadium suddenly becomes no asset for PSG, it will be a problem for them. Because there is such a expectation to get and win in the Champions League final.
“It will be difficult. It was a great performance by PSG at the Emirates, and it was not a great performance by Arsenal. But Arsenal will be better.
“If they can stay in that game in the last 15 to 20 minutes, they have a chance.”
'It is a career-definating game for Arteta's Arsenal'
Arsenal goes to their Do-Or-Die Champions League semi-final second stage in poor form, after he had not won in their last three games.
On Saturday, Mikel Arteta called a strong team to be confronted with Bournemouth – with PSG who rested the entire team that played in the Emirates in their defeat against Strasbourg. Arsenal eventually lost 2-1 and gave up twice of set pieces.
“I think the care for Arsenal was Saturday that they played their strongest side and still lost,” says Neville. “But they have a big game midweek and I really think Arsenal is possible.
In that stadium there is such an expectation about PSG and that they win the Champions League and they build themselves up. It will be a hostile atmosphere for the first 10-20 minutes and as a PSG score, it will remain hostile because they are immediately busy with it.
“If you can get a goal, however, what I think Arsenal can certainly be or it is a set of a set, a counterattack or a bit of sparkle, whatever it is – I think you can see and feel it change in that stadium.
“I think they will end the job and finish second in the competition. It is a very big match for Arsenal and it is a seasonal game. It can be career-defining.
“Sort of games – coming back from 1-0 outside at home against PSG – is something that will eventually, with what they did in the quarterfinals against Real Madrid, will be an absolutely incredible achievement.”
Arteta 'very confident' from progression to the final
Arsenal -Manager Arteta now believes that the hard beating has confronted his team this season, the team in an excellent condition to complete a comeback.
The Gunners have picked up several long-term injuries this season-with Gabriel, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus at the moment and Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard who suffer serious injury in the middle season before they return.
“This season is the best example of what this club and team are about,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “The resilience, the character and how we have overcome so many difficult situations.
“Although we have won many games and are in large games in the biggest competitions, we are still not satisfied.
“The words I would use is 'winning in every context'. That is what this team is made of. It doesn't matter what they throw at us, or what happens – we will have the mentality that we can win and find a way to be better than the opposition. And the result we want.”
Asked if he is sure to continue to the final – where they come across one of Barcelona or Inter Milan – Arteta replied: “100 percent, because we were able to do that – compete.
“And the margins against them [in the first leg] were small small. Small, small, small small. I am confident that we will do it. “
Merson: Odegaard has to pop up for Arsenal
Arsenal will welcome Thomas Partey in their Champions League team after missing the first stage by suspension, but there is concern about the fitness of Jurrien Timber, while the Dutchman missed the defeat against Bournemouth.
Paul Merson of Sky Sports pointed to midfield as a crucial area of the field, because the return of Pitey Declan Rice can play higher.
The midfielder of England scored on Saturday from an advanced position against Bournemouth, but Merson also called on Martin Odegaard to act after criticism of his performances.
“They missed the Thomas Peny incredible. It stopped Declan Rice bombing forward,” said Merson about the defeat of Arsenal's first leg.
“Declan is playing both and everyone at the moment. He is bombarding ahead, makes runs, gets into the box. One of their only opportunities they had – the Leandro Trossard -opportunity – that was from Declan Rice, who made a barstrun. We didn't get that much because of the position he had to play.
“Martin Odegaard will have to appear. I am a big fan of Odegaard, but he didn't play the other night.
“But they still have a chance. They should have been completely blown out of this competition recently. They had opportunities, PSG.
“I think it's the first goal. I think if Arsenal scores the first goal, the performance of Tuesday is wasted and the game is. But I think that if Paris Saint-Germain first scores, I can't see any way again.
“I know people will say:” Well, Villa went down 4-1, “but Villa was at home. They had nothing to lose. They had a good attempt, scored two goals in three minutes and they returned to the game.
“People will say:” Oh, Arsenal has won in the Bernabeu, “but Arsenal won at the last staircase with Gabriel Martinelli who runs away from the defender by a minute to go. If it is 1-1 in the Parc des Princes, PSG will not play Gung-Ho Football.
“I think Arsenal is right against it, but with Pedey back you never know.”