PSV’s Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons slayed Arsenal and Europe’s elite are set to pay big to bag them

Mikel Arteta’s unbeaten run of nine games in all competitions came to a halt in Eindhoven last Thursday, when PSV put Arsenal’s first-place hopes on the line with a convincing 2-0 win in the Europa League.

Although goals in the second half from Joey Veerman and Luke de Jong sealed the win, it was PSV’s star duo Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons who lit up the Philips Stadium with dazzling dribbling, piercing runs and clever clutch play against the unusually poor Gunners.

Showing an almost telepathic understanding at times, the two Dutch stars gave a masterclass in how to relentlessly tear apart a defense that had only scored 11 goals in 15 games en route to the Europa League clash.

On another night, if Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side had been a little more engaged in terms of staying onside, Simons and Gakpo would have scored three goals together in a 5-0 mauling.

Gakpo showed impressive composure after coming behind to chip his first disallowed attempt on Aaron Ramsdale in the 18th minute, before Simons stunned the Arsenal defense with close control in the penalty area and scored an own goal before the break, which was disallowed when Anwar El Ghazi was deemed offside by the VAR in the run-up to the assessment.

PSV’s number 11 thought to tap in a third for the Dutch club halfway through the second half, but was again refused by the linesman’s flag.

Whether attributed to a bit of bad luck or a lack of judgment in staying onside, both Gakpo and Simons’ disallowed goals showed their killer instincts in the final third, which is often a trait talented youngsters lack.

Understandably, when scouts at elite clubs review the profiles of young attacking players, the end product is a highly sought-after trait.

But despite goals and assists, the performances against Arsenal launched Gakpo and Simons into the window before January, with several elite clubs across Europe looking to bolster their rosters in search of silverware.

It’s no wonder. The pair have helped PSV become the most powerful attack in the Netherlands this season – with the club’s 40 goals better than any other side in the Eredivisie, where they are just one point behind Ajax in first place.

They have also given themselves a fighting chance to usurp Arsenal at the top of their Europa League group. All but a victory for the men of Arteta tonight at home against Zurich opens the door for the men of Van Nistelrooy and Gakpo and Simons have rarely needed a second invitation this season.

Gakpo was continuously linked with a move to Manchester United this summer before the Red Devils grabbed Ajax winger Antony for £85.5 million on the deadline.

The Ajax star has only gotten better since his links with Old Trafford, delivering an astonishing 13 goals and 16 assists in all competitions so far this season.

Deployed primarily as a left winger or an inside striker, Gakpo excels at drifting from the flank into central areas and running past the defense, playing cat and mouse with the offside trap.

At 1.8m tall, the Holland star is built to run from behind with both power and speed, which was fully apparent in Thursday’s 2-0 win against Arsenal.

When Simons picked up the ball in the 55th minute, Gakpo’s first instinct was to fill in from the back, despite standing three or four paces behind right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu, and his quick feet and acceleration left the Japanese defender for dead as he crashed through the middle of the field. target stormed .

Despite missing the opportunity from a tight corner, the move demonstrated the goal threat that Gakpo poses as he stretches the opponent’s defense back.

While Gakpo could seemingly fit Manchester United with their out-of-form left-sided wingers Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, the Dutchman could be a prolific asset to Liverpool, who have clearly missed Sadio Mane’s direct run since his summer move to Bayern Munich.

Either way, it seems unlikely that the PSV star will stay in Eindhoven for too much longer, having caught the eye of several top flying clubs across Europe.

Meanwhile, Simons Van Nistelrooy offers a different attacking dynamic, being able to create from the deep in midfield as a hybrid playmaker.

His magnetic ball control and quick footwork help take the pressure off Gakpo and El Ghazi to bomb forward, and he has the passing range to find them with intricate link-up play around the penalty area or long through balls on the counterattack .

Simons will no doubt have sparked the interest of Pep Guardiola, who usually chooses players with these skills at Manchester City, such as Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva.

PSV’s summer acquisition can boast an illustrious history at youth level. He has played for both the Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain academies and could very well return to the European elite next season.

The Amsterdam-born star has scored eight goals and provided four assists in his 12 Eredivisie appearances so far this season, finally thriving from regular time after leaving the French champions.

Although PSV has lured Simons permanently on a free transfer this summer, reports in France claim PSG has attached a buy-back clause to the deal, explaining the willingness of the French giants to approve the youngster’s departure.

Should he continue to thrive in Eindhoven, Simons is likely to spark a bidding war between the richest top clubs in Europe, and this could lead PSG to swallow their pride and admit the mistake of letting him go by luring the teenager back with a buy-back option.