Gunners fire four-goal volley

PSV Eindhoven 0 Arsenal 4

Gilberto Silva scored the second fastest goal in Champions League history after 21 seconds before Fredrik Ljungberg extended their lead with 24 minutes left.

Thierry Henry then capped Arsenal's first away European win in 19 months with a late double strike to ensure a statement of some intent had been sounded in the Philips Stadion.

Gilberto was on target after 21 seconds just behind Alessandro del Piero's 20-second goal for Juventus against Manchester United in 1997 as Arsenal looked to consign last season's dismal European away record to history.

Henry embarked on a surging run and clipped the ball inside to Gilberto, who had made an equally powerful burst from midfield to arrive unmarked in the penalty area, and he bundled the ball home from close range.

If that was beyond Wenger's wildest dreams, there was an added bonus two minutes later when PSV thought they had equalised only for Arnold Bruggink's 'goal' to be ruled out for handball as he controlled a cross. Another PSV 'goal' was also ruled out, this time for offside against Kezman, but the visitors were now under sustained pressure.

And when the offside trap finally broke down on 23 minutes, David Seaman was required to come to Arsenal's rescue with an excellent save with his legs from Kezman.

PSV made their own relatively early substitution, with Leandro replacing Vogel with 27 minutes gone and there was little obvious sign the midfielder had been injured, indicating a possible tactical move by Guus Hiddink.

Arsenal were certainly taking the sting out of their opponents' attacking threat, with Patrick Vieira and Gilberto controlling the game in midfield.

Arnold Bruggink floated a free-kick harmlessly over the crossbar from a dangerous position, while Kezman sent another diving header wide from Kasper Bogelund's low cross.

Otherwise, Bergkamp, who had put Henry away in the build-up for Gilberto's goal, was becoming increasingly influential, and he repeated that feat only for the Frenchman to see his cross this time gathered by Waterreus. Despite this being PSV's seventh season in the Champions League, they still have yet to progress past the first group stage.

Hiddink made a bold attacking move at half-time, bringing on the imaginatively-named striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, for defender Kevin Hofland. That meant midfield linchpin van Bommel dropping back into defence, presumably to improve their distribution from the back.

The home side still remained vulnerable to the counter-attack, however, and only the reflexes of Waterreus saved them when Wiltord was left one-on-one with the keeper on 50 minutes.

Where Vieira was so vital was not only in intercepting countless breaks by PSV but also choreographing the way his team kept possession long enough to establish control on the game.

Henry, meanwhile, forced a neat save by Waterreus at his near post after a nimble feint and burst of pace, while PSV were forced into their third substitution with 29 minutes left.

On came Theo Lucius for Jan Heintze as Hiddink made his last possible intervention, but the game looked to go beyond his side on 66 minutes when Ljungberg put Arsenal 2-0 ahead.

Lauren was this time the provider, although the Swede still had much work to do as set off towards goal. Gilberto spurned a gilt-edged chance to extend Arsenal's lead even further moments later, while Bergkamp also came close, but the visitors were now in a commanding mood.

Bergkamp eventually left the fray with 11 minutes left, being replaced by Kanu, as Wenger looked to save his striker's tiring limbs.

However, Arsenal's dominance continued and just two minutes later Henry had put the Gunners' 3-0 ahead as he looked to have rounded off a perfect evening by finishing with aplomb.

But Henry had still not finished and, with just seconds remaining, the Frenchman made it 4-0 with another accomplished finish.

PSV: Waterreus, Ooijer, Hofland, Heintze, Van Bommel, Kezman, Bruggink, Vogel, Rommedahl, Bouma, Bogelund.

ARSENAL: Seaman, Cole, Lauren, Campbell, Keown, Vieira, Silva, Ljungberg, Wiltord, Bergkamp, Henry.