Jurriën Timber has said Arsenal have an opportunity to “change the ­narrative” of their season against PSV Eindhoven and believes they have the motivation to reach the ­Champions League quarter-finals for a second successive season.

Mikel Arteta’s side face the Dutch champions in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday night having fallen off the pace in the Premier League title race after failing to score in their past two matches against West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

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Mikel Merino is expected to continue as a makeshift ­centre-forward but Timber, the Netherlands defender who returns to his homeland after joining from Ajax in 2023, has insisted they are confident of progressing after failing to win here in their past four attempts.

“I think the motivation is there,” he said. “We showed in the group stages that we did really well, we have a good team and this is a beautiful game and a chance to change the ­narrative to win.”

Ivan Perisic believes PSV Eindhoven can beat Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League clash because Mikel Arteta's squad have previously lacked what it takes to be winners.

The Dutch side saw off Arne Slot's Feyenoord to take the Eredivisie title last season but they slipped to a fourth defeat of their league campaign on Saturday with at Go Ahead Eagles. In the Champions League, PSV saw off Liverpool in the group stage before overcoming Juventus in a two-legged fixture to reach the last 16.

Perisic, who spent a short period at Tottenham, said: "Arsenal often lacked that one bit to win something last year. We have to be fully prepared, then we have a good chance to beat them. It will be a tough game against a young team with a strong coach. But I believe in our team and we have to play at our best. When you hear the Champions League anthem, it gives something special."

PSV have not kept a clean sheet in their last seven Eredivisie matches, conceding three against Go Ahead Eagles. However, Peter Bosz, the manager, said he has no plans to adapt his side's aggressive style which has helped them score in every home game this season.

"I already indicated last year that defending starts with attacking," he said. "We immediately put pressure on the ball, which allowed us to win it back quickly and often did not have to defend at all. Football is a complex sport. You cannot point to one single aspect. It is a combination of many factors that have to come together well. It is often small details that prevent us from winning matches. We are working intensively to improve those details and I am responsible for that." PA Media

Asked how they could turn things around, Timber said: “I don’t see it as negative but we’ve been through a lot, especially the last couple of weeks, but it’s a challenge for us and we have to take it. We have to score tomorrow, we have to win and in the Champions League you only have two games so you don’t get second chances, so we have to go for it in this game.”

Andrea Berta is understood to be in contention to succeed Edu as Arsenal’s sporting director after he left Atlético Madrid in January, with the Italian thought to be keen on working in the Premier League. But while there could be a busy ­summer, Arteta insists he is only looking at the immediate challenge for his side. “It’s a game that really brings a different energy,” he said. “It’s a competition that puts everybody on their toes. We’ve done a lot already this season. Here and now is the moment to start to make another strong step in the direction that we want.”