Arsenal saw both their strikers find the net as Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres helped them see off Inter Milan – leaving Mikel Arteta with a selection dilemma ahead of the weekend
Gabriel Jesus has taken the pressure off Mikel Arteta‘s next Arsenal selection by claiming he’s “not a kid anymore” and he knows that he could be usurped by Viktor Gyokeres on Sunday.
The Gunners welcome Manchester United to the Emirates with both their strikers staking a claim for involvement from the start. Jesus, who has been missing for almost a year due to injury, has recently returned and underlined his quality with a brace in the win over Inter Milan.
The Brazilian started ahead of Gyokeres, who was dropped to the bench at the San Siro. The Swede has struggled for goals since his summer move from Sporting Lisbon but produced a moment of quality following his substitute cameo, bending home a stunning third goal.
It leaves Arteta with a decision to make as he plots his starting XI, but Jesus knows he is just as likely to start as he is to sit on the bench come the weekend.
He told Amazon Prime Video: “To think about starting in this moment, everyone wants to start, to get minute, to get chances, but know I understand the whole situation, I’m not a kid anymore, I’m 28. I understand football, how it works.
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Jesus was full of praise for his team-mate, despite the pair effectively vying for the same position, and was equally complimentary about Kai Havertz. “I was so happy that Viktor came on and scored a goal,” he said. “A striker without a goal is always difficult, I’ve been fighting with this my whole career. And I’m 100 percent sure when Kai gets his chance, he will score.”
Arteta claimed that Jesus was deserving of the Player of the Match award, and equally praised Gyokeres’ impact off the bench. The Arsenal boss claimed that the Swede has enjoyed successive away trips after scoring at Chelsea last week, backing him to benefit from his contribution.
Jesus’ brace ensured Arsenal remain on course to finish top of the Champions League table, ensuring themselves as top seeds. They hadn’t won in Italy since 2008 but were good value for their three points against last year’s finalists.
Jesus admits he grew up watching Italian football and the San Siro was one of the venues he always dreamt about scoring in, fulfiling a childhood ambition with his two goals.
He said: “It’s a dream night. I always dreamed of being a footballer. I watched when I was a kid. I watched a lot of Serie A, so to be here in this stadium and score here is tears in my eyes because I always dreamed of being here.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
