Arsenal can secure a top-two finish in the Champions League group phase with a game to spare if they beat Inter Milan at the San Siro tomorrow, though Mikel Arteta knows the task will be far from straightforward.
The Gunners face Inter for the second season running, having been edged out 1–0 in Italy last year. This time, however, they arrive in confident form, with just two defeats in 33 matches across all competitions.
Inter, now under new head coach Cristian Chivu, are once again challenging near the top of Serie A after surrendering the title to Napoli last season. With only four goals conceded in their opening six group games, they boast the competition’s second-best defensive record behind Arsenal – a stat that suggests another tight, finely balanced encounter.
“It’s a very similar context to last year, [although] where the two teams are at the moment is a bit different,” said Arteta.
“It’s a new manager as well; I think he’s given them some of the things that make up their identity and the way they play.
“But obviously we know they’re a super competitive team, a team that is dominating the league and a really tough game.”
Reflecting on last season’s defeat – decided by a first-half Hakan Calhanoglu penalty despite Arsenal dominating possession and being denied a clear-cut spot-kick of their own – Arteta acknowledged the challenge remains unchanged.
“They have some different players in the team, a different coach as well, but I think the task is going to be equally difficult.
“I think, watching it back, we had a really strong performance here. The margin that we lost the game by was a penalty – obviously, we all saw what happened there, and were very disappointed.
“We’re going to know tomorrow how they set up. We have a very clear idea of what we have to do to win the game, and what we need to apply to be better than them.”
On Inter’s strengths, he added: “They’re a closed team, a bit aggressive. In the first phase, they’re aggressive. Where they lose the ball, they’re more aggressive in getting it back.
“Then they have the talent, the ability, the mentality. We’ll see how the game is tomorrow. We are very clear about what we have to do to play the game we want to play, and then you deserve it.
“It has to be when we have the opportunity to score the goal, and then dominate these things, which are vital.”
Despite scoring four goals at Portsmouth in the FA Cup and three more away to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, Arsenal’s failure to find the net in back-to-back league games has tested supporters’ patience.
Any hope that Viktor Gyökeres’ strike at Stamford Bridge would open the floodgates was quickly dispelled by another subdued display at Nottingham Forest. The Swede was withdrawn early in the second half, replaced by Gabriel Jesus – another striker whose output, injuries aside, has been inconsistent.
On Gyökeres’ struggles, Arteta said: “I think it goes for all the no. 9s in the league and how difficult it is to play that position nowadays with the physicality, the dominance of the centre-backs and the quality of them, and the lack of space most of the time during the match for them to exploit.
“But that’s about consistency, about going again. We know his work rate, he’s really trying to give his best and we need to continue to work.”
Team selection remains difficult to predict. A win in Milan would be a statement, but Sunday’s league clash with Manchester United at the Emirates arguably carries greater weight.
Asked whether rotation might come into play, Arteta remained non-committal.
“It’s very particular for every game, I’m afraid, because every game has a different situation, and the players are in different stages as well. We will prepare the game, the line-up and the finishers in the best possible manner to win the game.”
Nor would he be drawn on whether Eberechi Eze – who has played just 23 minutes of league football since mid-December – might feature.
“It depends on the game, depends on the type of opponent that we see, and then on performances throughout the game. We see things that we can do, how we can hurt the opposition more, and we have the ability to change that.”
With Arsenal still competing on four fronts, the schedule shows no signs of easing. Should the improbable happen and they reach the latter stages of three cup competitions, Arteta’s squad could play as many as 65 matches.
“Yes, but I think we have to go game by game,” he said.
“We can try to look ahead, what is coming and what is relevant is the next match, and sometimes we’ve been thinking a lot about the future, the next week or two, three weeks’ time, and something happens, and you have to adapt to the circumstances.
“So, go game by game and enjoy the journey that we are in, because it’s great. Go for it every single game and let’s see what the next one brings.”
While Arsenal’s perfect record in the competition gives them a degree of breathing space, Inter do not enjoy the same luxury. Sitting sixth in the table, they know defeat tomorrow could see them slip out of the top eight, endangering their chances of automatic qualification for the last 16.
Head coach Chivu, while respectful of Arsenal’s pedigree, sounded bullish in his own press conference.
“We’re facing one of the strongest teams in Europe. They’ve invested, they have an identity and they’re constantly improving,” he noted.
“Arsenal and Bayern are the strongest teams in Europe right now, but I’m also aware of who we are. We won’t start feeling defeated; we will be the best version of ourselves.
“It takes a positive attitude, a willingness to win the ball, and to take risks. We have players capable of maintaining that level of focus.”