Big Midweek: Arsenal, PSG v Bayern, Emery v Pereira, Palace, Ipswich | OneFootball

PSG versus Bayern Munich looks infinitely more appealing to the neutral but might Diego Simeone be playing into Arsenal’s hands?

With four Premier League sides in semi-final action, it’s a massive midweek in Europe – and at the top of the Championship too.

Here’s the lowdown…

Game to watch – PSG v Bayern

No one has to choose between Champions League semi-finals but if you did, only Gooners would pick Arsenal at Atletico when the alternative is the holders facing arguably the most entertaining team in Europe right now.

In fairness to Arsenal, they are currently embroiled in an arduous title battle which absolutely no one at the Emirates seems to be enjoying. It must be easier to be free-flowing, expansive and entertaining when domestic dominance is almost a given.

Between PSG and Bayern, they look set to make it 25 titles won of the last 28 championships in France and Germany, with the Bavarians already crowned in Germany while the Parisians are six points clear with four to go in France.

But the Champions League is the true gauge of success for both clubs with this meeting a stage too soon for those who would rather the final is a shootout between Europe’s top two teams.

For anyone who might dispute these clubs being that, defending champions PSG got here by dumping out Liverpool and Chelsea by a combined aggregate score of 12-2, while Bayern finally got over their Real Madrid hoodoo by beating the Champions League’s most successful club in both legs of their quarter-finals.

Even more impressive than the scorelines were the manner of progress for both. For those of us perhaps with a suppressed appetite after being force-fed bland, tasteless sh*te in the Premier League this season, watching PSG and Bayern thrill in the quarters felt like a refreshing palate cleanser.

All coaches crave control but Luis Enrique and Vincent Kompany are showing there is a different way to achieve it beyond strangling your opponent. PSG and Bayern both seek strength through attack, not defence. Even Diego Simeone is coming around to that way of thinking. We can only hope their Premier League counterparts catch on quick.

Team to watch – Arsenal

Mikel Arteta will give not one toss for our appraisal of his and Arsenal’s methods. And absolutely fair f***s to him for that while a Premier League and Champions League double is still attainable for his side.

For that to remain true, Arsenal must deal with Barcelona’s conquerors Atletico Madrid. About whom we should forget all we thought we knew.

In seasons passed, we would have expected Arsenal to go to the Wanda Metropolitana on Wednesday with the onus on them to attack while the Rojiblancos sat back and waited for the chance to pounce. The prospect of that Atletico hosting this Arsenal would have made many neutrals contemplate their viewing choices.

Arteta ought to be thankful for Simeone’s realignment of his priorities. Few would have backed Arsenal’s stodgy, sterile attack to break down the Atletico defences of old, but perhaps a different approach from the hosts plays into the Gunners’ hands.

Atletico do leave gaps for Arsenal to exploit – will they remember what to do with them? It feels like it has been a while.

Of course, Arsenal don’t have to win the tie on Wednesday; they just have make sure they don’t lose it. So maybe keep the remote control handy just in case.

Manager to watch – Unai Emery

Emery could not tolerate Aston Villa’s lethargy in their defeat to Fulham on Saturday, but he might be more understanding, if not forgiving, if it turns out his players were indeed holding a bit back for Forest on Thursday.

The Villa boss spent the build-up to their trip to Craven Cottage attempting to reinforce his view that no one should be distracted by the looming Europa League semi-final while Champions League qualification via a domestic route was still at stake.

Emery’s message. evidently, didn’t land causing him to seethe though much of a sunny Saturday by the Thames while Villa laboured to another away defeat.

Villa are 17th in the away form table, having not won on the road in the Premier League since January.  Away from home, they have been better in the Europa League, but Forest represent more of a domestic threat. And one more buoyant and confident than Villa right now.

For that reason, Emery might be more willing to watch Thursday’s first leg at the City Ground drift. His Villa side are built to prosper amid tight margins and with the second leg on home soil, going back to Villa Park level will suit the Lord of the Europa League just fine.

But there’s a huge difference between efficiency and lethargy. Villa need to rediscover the former and shake the latter against a Forest side with bigger priorities but more momentum.

Player to watch – Alisson Santana

Unlike Forest and Villa, Crystal Palace don’t need to pretend that they have other priorities alongside a Europa semi-final.

In the Conference League last four, the Eagles fly to Krakow to take on Shakhtar Donetsk. Palace are snug in their natural habitat of 13th or thereabouts in the Premier League with little prospect of improvement or danger of falling. So, absolutely, they should go all in on Europe.

Waiting for them, though, in Poland is Alisson Santana. The 20-year-old right winger looks set to be the next Brazilian off the Shakhtar line having got seven goals and 10 assists in 24 appearances for the Ukrainian club this season.

Santana’s form is doubly concerning for Palace since they are sweating on the fitness of arguably their best defender.

Tyrick Mitchell had to be withdrawn in Palace’s 3-1 defeat at Anfield, the left-back struggling with an Achilles problem. It is something Mitchell has been managing of late but it remains to be seen if Palace can patch him up in time for Poland.

EFL game to watch – Southampton v Ipswich

Ipswich and Millwall left the door open for one another at the weekend but neither could take a decisive step towards automatic promotion. Mercifully for Town, they get another opportunity on Tuesday night when they go to Southampton for the last game in hand of the Championship season.

Ipswich currently occupy second place but only on goal difference ahead of Millwall. If they win at St Mary’s, they are up, barring something wholly unfeasible on the final day.

The Tractor Boys’ task is simpler than it sounds, though. Saints are flying and, weirdly, Tonda Eckert ‘s side may be even more confident despite losing at Wembley to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final.

A win for Southampton will make it so that four teams could grab the final automatic promotion place on Saturday. So, with apologies to readers in Suffolk, up the Saints.