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Mikel Arteta given major striker issue as Arsenal send Champions League warning
Arsenal booked their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League with a deserved 3-1 victory over Inter Milan at San Siro, but Mikel Arteta has been left with a selection headache
Arsenal secured qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League as they extended their perfect record against Inter Milan.
Mikel Arteta's side arrived at the San Siro first in the league phase table knowing that victory would secure them a top eight spot, and put them on the verge of qualifying top of the pile. And that's exactly what the Gunners did as they were impressive in a 3-1 win.
A first-half double from Gabriel Jesus either side of a brilliant Inter equalsier put the visitors on their way. Arsenal missed chances to kill the game off but defended strongly at the other end before Viktor Gyokeres sealed the victory with a whipped effort from distance.
There hasn’t been much to criticise Arteta about this season, but his insistence on starting Gyokeres has certainly been one. The Swede has been hooked off in the Gunners’ last five Premier League games without a goal or any credibility in the bank. And deservedly lost his place to Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian vindicated his selection ahead of Gyokeres just 10 minutes into the game, as he was the right man in the right place to turn Jurrien Timber’s effort past Yann Sommer to give Arsenal the lead.
However, the lead was short-lived when Petar Susic found the top corner with a whipped effort from the edge of the box.
But Jesus was back on the scoresheet again to turn home Leandro Trossard’s header back across goal for another Arsenal set-piece goal. The 28-year-old should have grabbed himself an assist, which could have killed the game off on the hour mark as he slipped through Bukayo Saka, but the England winger took too long to get his shot away, allowing Inter’s defence to recover.
Jesus seemed certain to have secured his place in the team to start against Manchester United on Sunday, but Gyokeres appeared off the bench to add Arsenal's third in brilliant fashion after he was previously ignored by Saka when clean through on goal. Arteta will have a major selection headache for the weekend's game, with Gyokeres showing why he shouldn't be overlooked.
Arteta also opted to drop his captain Martin Odegaard to the bench in place for Eberechi Eze. A decision that many Arsenal fans revelled in on social media as their frustration with their lacklustre captain becomes too obvious to ignore.
One user wrote: “Saka free from the shackles of Martin Odegaard is a joy to watch.” Another assured: “Seen enough to know Odegaard can take a few weeks break and come back rested. Eze starts from now.” While a third added: “Eze is in a position that Odegaard just would never be in at that stage of the build-up. Lines broken and shot on target.”
Despite the love for Eze, he failed to stamp his mark on the game and was replaced by Declan Rice. The 27-year-old is also another man looking to recoup his form after seeing less than 30 minutes of Premier League football in the last six games.
Gyokeres' goal took all the sting out of what could have been a worrying final 10 minutes for the visitors, who held on to their richly deserved points.
Top of the Premier League, top spot in the Champions League will be confirmed if Bayern Munich fail to beat Union Saint-Gilloise, one foot in the final of the Carabao Cup and a straightforward draw in the FA Cup fourth round. What a year this could be for the Gunners.
Daily Star Sunday
Arsenal booked their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League with a deserved 3-1 victory over Inter Milan at San Siro, but Mikel Arteta has been left with a selection headache
Arsenal secured qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League as they extended their perfect record against Inter Milan.
Mikel Arteta's side arrived at the San Siro first in the league phase table knowing that victory would secure them a top eight spot, and put them on the verge of qualifying top of the pile. And that's exactly what the Gunners did as they were impressive in a 3-1 win.
A first-half double from Gabriel Jesus either side of a brilliant Inter equalsier put the visitors on their way. Arsenal missed chances to kill the game off but defended strongly at the other end before Viktor Gyokeres sealed the victory with a whipped effort from distance.
There hasn’t been much to criticise Arteta about this season, but his insistence on starting Gyokeres has certainly been one. The Swede has been hooked off in the Gunners’ last five Premier League games without a goal or any credibility in the bank. And deservedly lost his place to Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian vindicated his selection ahead of Gyokeres just 10 minutes into the game, as he was the right man in the right place to turn Jurrien Timber’s effort past Yann Sommer to give Arsenal the lead.
However, the lead was short-lived when Petar Susic found the top corner with a whipped effort from the edge of the box.
But Jesus was back on the scoresheet again to turn home Leandro Trossard’s header back across goal for another Arsenal set-piece goal. The 28-year-old should have grabbed himself an assist, which could have killed the game off on the hour mark as he slipped through Bukayo Saka, but the England winger took too long to get his shot away, allowing Inter’s defence to recover.
Jesus seemed certain to have secured his place in the team to start against Manchester United on Sunday, but Gyokeres appeared off the bench to add Arsenal's third in brilliant fashion after he was previously ignored by Saka when clean through on goal. Arteta will have a major selection headache for the weekend's game, with Gyokeres showing why he shouldn't be overlooked.
Arteta also opted to drop his captain Martin Odegaard to the bench in place for Eberechi Eze. A decision that many Arsenal fans revelled in on social media as their frustration with their lacklustre captain becomes too obvious to ignore.
One user wrote: “Saka free from the shackles of Martin Odegaard is a joy to watch.” Another assured: “Seen enough to know Odegaard can take a few weeks break and come back rested. Eze starts from now.” While a third added: “Eze is in a position that Odegaard just would never be in at that stage of the build-up. Lines broken and shot on target.”
Despite the love for Eze, he failed to stamp his mark on the game and was replaced by Declan Rice. The 27-year-old is also another man looking to recoup his form after seeing less than 30 minutes of Premier League football in the last six games.
Gyokeres' goal took all the sting out of what could have been a worrying final 10 minutes for the visitors, who held on to their richly deserved points.
Top of the Premier League, top spot in the Champions League will be confirmed if Bayern Munich fail to beat Union Saint-Gilloise, one foot in the final of the Carabao Cup and a straightforward draw in the FA Cup fourth round. What a year this could be for the Gunners.
Daily Star Sunday