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Mission accomplished for Arsenal. A seventh win out of seven ensured Mikel Arteta’s side will head straight into the last 16 of this competition as one of the favourites for the Champions League after Gabriel Jesus scored twice – including their 19th goal of the season from a corner – to see off last year’s beaten finalists.
It means that as well as getting one back over an Inter side that beat them here 14 months ago, Arsenal have surpassed their longest winning streak at this level. While Manchester City’s surprise defeat in Norway in the earlier kick-off had removed any jeopardy about them progressing, this was more evidence of the ruthless streak they have developed under Arteta. The only blot on the copybook in a fourth successive away game in four different competitions was Petar Sucic’s equaliser in the first half after Jesus had given them an early lead, although this was all about the Brazil striker even after the substitute Viktor Gyökeres sealed the points late on with a classy finish.
Having just returned from 11 months out with an ACL injury, Jesus admitted on Tuesday that he wants to fulfil his ambition of winning trophies with Arsenal. With Arsenal seven points clear at the top of the Premier League and still in both domestic cup competitions, he will never get a better opportunity.
Arsenal’s defeat by Inter in the group stages last year was still on Arteta’s mind in the buildup to this match, with a controversial penalty awarded against Mikel Merino proving decisive on that occasion. Despite the temptation to gain revenge, he made seven changes to the Arsenal side that drew with Nottingham Forest at the weekend as Cristhian Mosquera made his return from an ankle injury in place of Gabriel Magalhães.
Manuel Akanji had questioned whether Arsenal could be considered the best team in Europe beforehand, with the former City defender suggesting that Bayern Munich are the team to beat this year. He started for an Inter side who are currently enjoying a three-point lead over their city rivals Milan at the top of Serie A.
This grand old stadium is due to be demolished after the two clubs purchased it from the city council in November and there was a cauldron of noise to greet the teams before kick-off. But it was Arsenal who seized the initiative immediately as they swarmed Inter’s penalty area in the opening exchanges to make their intentions clear. Jesus was inches away from connecting with Jurriën Timber’s cross in the second minute and it was the same combination that found the breakthrough. Eberechi Eze’s pass into the penalty area was deflected into Timber’s path and his scuffed shot was diverted in by the alert Jesus, who was being played onside by Luis Henrique.
Inter were level within eight minutes after William Saliba blocked a goalbound shot and it fell perfectly into the path of Sucic, whose strike took a tiny deflection off Martín Zubimendi’s heel to give David Raya no chance. It was only the second time they have conceded in this year’s competition but Eze could have restored Arsenal’s lead immediately had he not dragged his shot wide. Arteta would have been fuming if Marcus Thuram had not wasted a golden opportunity on the break after Merino appeared to have been fouled on the edge of Inter’s penalty area seconds earlier.
Yet his mood will have improved when Arsenal went back in front courtesy of a clever routine which freed Leandro Trossard to head Bukayo Saka’s corner against the crossbar, enabling Jesus to snaffle the rebound. Saka was not far away with a curling effort that had Yann Sommer at full stretch before Raya pulled off a double save to deny Federico Dimarco just before half-time.
On a chilly night in Lombardy, Arsenal kept Inter waiting at the start of the second half. Eze could have done better with a chance on the edge of the box after excellent link-up play from Jesus but his left-footed shot was easily saved by Sommer.
The home supporters felt that they should have been awarded a penalty when Lautaro Martínez went down in the box under pressure from William Saliba but the Portuguese referee was not interested. Compared to previous seasons, Saka has been rested far more in this campaign due to concerns over his workload and the benefits have been clear to see in recent weeks. A brilliant cross from the England forward picked out Trossard at the back post, only for his volley back across goal to miss the target.
Saka was guilty of dallying when put clean through by Jesus and a last-ditch tackle from Alessandro Bastoni saved Inter in the end. The substitute, Pio Esposito, almost made them pay when he found space inside the Arsenal area as Inter stepped up the pressure. But it was Gyökeres who made sure of the victory after he had come on to replace Jesus. The Sweden striker latched on to a long ball from Gabriel Martinelli and beat Sommer from outside the area to send an ominous warning to the rest of Europe.
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