Gabriel Jesus' Stunning Return Poses Striker Dilemma for Arteta After Inter Rout
Gabriel Jesus delivered a spectacular first-half brace to propel an imperious Arsenal to a commanding 3-1 victory over Inter Milan at the San Siro, a result that officially secures the Gunners' place in the Champions League knockout stages. The Brazilian's emphatic return to form, however, presents manager Mikel Arteta with a significant tactical conundrum regarding his primary striker selection for the pivotal domestic fixtures ahead.
Arsenal's Clinical Display Seals Last-16 Berth
Arsenal's dominance in Europe continued unabated as they notched their seventh consecutive victory in the competition this season. Jesus broke the deadlock after just ten minutes, capitalising on a miscued effort from teammate Jurrien Timber to tap home from close range. Inter responded swiftly through Petar Sucic's crisp strike eight minutes later, but parity was short-lived.
The irrepressible Jesus restored Arsenal's lead in the 31st minute, demonstrating impeccable timing to nod in from a Leandro Trossard header following a Bukayo Saka corner. Substitute Viktor Gyokeres then applied the finishing touch six minutes from time, sweeping home from the edge of the area to complete a thoroughly deserved 3-1 triumph.
Arteta's Selection Headache Intensifies
This commanding performance, which also saw off last season's beaten finalists, guarantees Arsenal will finish in the top two of their group. This ensures the significant advantage of hosting the second leg in their upcoming knockout matches. With one final group game remaining against Kairat, a single point will confirm the Gunners as winners of the expanded 36-team group.
The narrative, however, revolves squarely around Jesus. Handed his first European start in 405 days as one of seven changes made by Arteta, the Brazilian seized his opportunity with both hands. His dynamic, two-goal display was a stark reminder of his quality and has thrown the pecking order for the central striking role into fresh doubt.
Striker Conundrum Ahead of United Clash
Despite Gyokeres coming off the bench to score Arsenal's third, Jesus's eye-catching all-round performance has undoubtedly complicated team selection for Sunday's crucial Premier League encounter against Manchester United. Arteta now faces a genuine dilemma: does he reward the in-form Jesus with a starting berth, or does he revert to Gyokeres, who has led the line for much of the campaign?
The match itself was a showcase of Arsenal's growing European pedigree. David Raya made several key saves, including a strong hand to deny Federico Dimarco, while the defensive unit, marshalled by the returning Cristhian Mosquera, largely contained a dangerous Inter attack. The influential Eberechi Eze was at the heart of much of Arsenal's creative play, though he was denied by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer on a couple of occasions.
As the final whistle approached, the travelling Arsenal support serenaded their team's passing with triumphant 'oles', a fitting soundtrack to a performance that fuels genuine belief that this squad can challenge for a first-ever Champions League crown. The immediate question for Arteta, however, is far more terrestrial: which of his two prolific strikers gets the nod against Manchester United?
