Arsenal celebrated their qualification to the Champions League final 16 in model as they beat Inter Milan courtesy of Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres.
The Gunners had already obtained affirmation of their place within the prime eight of the league section after Manchester Metropolis’s shock defeat to Bodo/Glimt earlier within the day.
Nonetheless, Jesus’ heroics continued the Gunners’ excellent document in Europe this season whereas additionally constructing momentum forward of Sunday’s conflict with Manchester United, a sport by which Jesus has now firmly put himself in rivalry to begin over Gyokeres earlier than the Swede reinstated his credentials with a late strike.
Mikel Arteta made seven modifications to his beginning XI with the go to of Michael Carrick’s aspect on the weekend on the horizon, though there have been begins for a number of key names together with William Saliba, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka.
It was Jesus although who stole the present, grabbing the initiative to provide his aspect an early lead as he latched onto the tip of Jurrien Timber’s deflected effort and poked the ball previous Yann Sommer – his first Champions League objective since April 2024.
Inter levelled quickly after because the guests didn’t clear their strains, permitting Petar Sucic to fireside into the highest nook from all of 20 yards.
It would not be an Arsenal sport with no objective from a set-piece, which got here simply after half an hour, as Leandro Trossard was capable of head the ball again throughout the penalty space from a nook, giving Jesus the straightforward process of tapping residence from shut vary.
Inter continued to trigger Arsenal issues on the break, maybe a optimistic for Carrick and United who seemed so lethal on the counter-attack in opposition to Manchester Metropolis, however had been unable to interrupt the Gunners down for a second time on the night time.
The hosts would ultimately be punished as substitute Gyokeres mixed with Saka earlier than discovering the highest nook in what was the proper response to Jesus’ efforts.
That, and the choice surrounding whether or not to maintain Jesus within the aspect is a matter for one more day for Arteta, as his aspect made positive of a top-two end within the league section with a win, whereas Inter discover themselves hanging onto a prime eight place by the barest of margins.
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