MILAN — This is what all managers hope rotation looks like. Gabriel Jesus put Arsenal on the path to Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Internazionale with a brace that simultaneously staked his claim to lead the attack in Sunday’s Premier League clash with Manchester United.
The man he would replace at striker had just 15 minutes to respond. Viktor Gyökeres used that time to curl a right-foot shot into the top corner in what might just rank as his best finish in an Arsenal shirt to date.
It was a goal reminiscent of Inter midfielder Petar Sucic‘s 18th-minute strike that briefly drew the Italian side level before Jesus’ second goal 13 minutes later, which extended the Gunners’ perfect UEFA Champions League record and guaranteed a top-two finish. That placement secures home advantage in the second legs of the knockout rounds.
On a night when Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made seven changes, the result made it seven wins from seven games. Switching strikers has rarely worked better.
“If I had to write it [the perfect outcome], probably that would be it,” said Arteta. “So I’m very happy with that. I’m very happy as well with most of the individual performances. I think they were incredible. You don’t win in San Siro without that.
“We played the fourth consecutive game away from home in four different competitions in 10 days, I think it was. So it’s crazy, basically. And no matter that we’ve done it, we’ve been able to do that because we have rotated, because players feel important, players are fit to play when it’s needed.”
