football.london reporters pick their Arsenal XIs for the Champions League clash against Inter Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night
20:00, 19 Jan 2026
Mikel Arteta'
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Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are looking to make it six wins from six in the Champions League vs Inter Milan(Image: )
Arsenal can win a seventh successive Champions League match for the first time in their entire history on Tuesday when they travel to Inter Milan. The Gunners actually lost at San Siro last season when they were beaten 1-0 by Inter in a cagey affair.
This time around, Arsenal are firing on all cylinders and top the Champions League standings with maximum points.
They are also top of the Premier League and remain in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, however, there is a sense of frustration after Mikel Arteta's men dropped two points at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
In that game, Bukayo Saka dropped to the bench whilst Leandro Trossard was also left out of the starting XI and many feel they were rested for the wrong game.
football.london reporters Tom Canton (Chief Arsenal correspondent) and Ryan Taylor pick their Arsenal teams for the clash versus Inter.
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Tom Canton - Chief Arsenal correspondent
Milan is a brilliant city and I cannot express my gratitude to be here but I could not care for the outcome of this game. Arsenal have more important things this week and have earned that hubris by winning the first six matches.
Beat Kairat Almaty at the Emirates, and it guarantees a top two spot. Finishing in either first or second rewards the club with the same outcome, home second legs all the way to the final which will be the only time they can face the side which finishes first or second.
Therefore, none of the players I have picked, besides David Raya and potentially Ben White, would be in the starting eleven against Manchester United this weekend. The game which is by far the most important, by some distance.
Do I think Arteta is taking this game with as little concern as myself? Absolutely not, but in my opinion, rotate the team, give opportunities to players like Eberechi Eze and Ethan Nwaneri on a big stage and help Kai Havertz return to fitness with a start at the San Siro.
Canton’s Arsenal XI vs Inter Milan : Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Madueke, Havertz, Eze
Arsenal plan to keep Ethan Nwaneri for the rest of the 2025/26 campaign
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Both Tom and Ryan would like to see Ethan Nwaneri start vs Inter Milan(Image: (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images))
Ryan Taylor
I'm with Tom, I would struggle to understand Mikel Arteta going overly strong following the frustrations of drawing at Nottingham Forest.
The Spaniard does have history with playing stars in games that aren't hugely important though. William Saliba started and Declan Rice once came on in a dead rubber at PSV Eindhoven in December 2023.
Arsenal have not yet solidified top spot but that should happen versus FC Kairat. I'd go for David Raya in goal with a back-four of Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard (yes he's out of position and on the wrong side) and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Mikel Merino has already proven he can play the No.6 role at Portsmouth and I'd also have Ethan Nwaneri and Eberechi Eze in midfield.
Inter usually operate with a flat five-man midfield in a 3-5-2 system which could make it tough for Nwaneri and Eze to find space.
In attack, I'd go for Noni Madueke again on the right - Bukayo Saka has been battling a minor issue as per Arteta - Gabriel Martinelli on the left and Gabriel Jesus or Kai Havertz through the middle.
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In fact, I'd probably give them a half each.
Canton’s Arsenal XI vs Inter Milan : Raya; White, Mosquera, Norgaard, Lewis-Skelly; Merino, Nwaneri, Eze; Madueke, Martinelli, Jesus.
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