Raheem Sterling and Oleksandr Zinchenko spark Arsenal's UCL charge

Despite a 2-2 draw in the second leg at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta's fringe stars Raheem Sterling and Oleksandr Zinchenko stole the spotlight, proving their worth in a rotated Gunners side.

After last week's 7-1 demolition of PSV in the Netherlands left the tie all but sealed, Arteta handed rare starts to Sterling and Zinchenko. The duo repaid his faith emphatically.

Just six minutes in, Zinchenko latched onto Sterling's pinpoint pass and rifled a curling strike past PSV's Walter Benitez to break the deadlock. Later, Sterling turned provider again, delivering a perfect cross for Declan Rice to head home Arsenal's second on the night in the 37th minute.

Arteta praised their contributions, highlighting their hunger to seize limited opportunities. "I was very happy for [Sterling] and for a lot of individuals who haven't had many minutes recently," he said. "They got the minutes and they responded."

On Zinchenko's screamer, he added: "Alex's finish was great. He's got this ability to carry the ball into those spaces and put it in the back of the net. It's really good to have him in that condition."

The Gunners had chances to extend their lead. Youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly struck the post, while Sterling was twice denied by Benitez. PSV, however, refused to roll over. Ivan PeriÃ…¡ić equalised with a stunning top-corner finish, and debutant Couhaib Driouech chipped David Raya late on to secure a deserved draw on the night.

Despite the visitors' resilience, buoyed by a recent league win over Heerenveen, Arsenal's progression never looked in doubt.

Arteta's focus now shifts to Real Madrid, a test he believes his squad are ready to tackle.

Reflecting on last season's narrow defeat to Bayern Munich in the quarters, he said: "We had them under the ropes, they escaped. Hopefully, we'll learn. We are better than them. And we can make it happen."

Recent updates from Arsenal's camp show confidence is high. A club statement on X hailed the team's "dominant display" over the two legs, while Sterling tweeted: "Minutes in the tank, more to come."

With Zinchenko and Sterling firing, the Gunners have extra firepower as they prepare to face the Spanish giants in a blockbuster showdown. PSV, meanwhile, can hold their heads high after restoring some pride in North London.

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