Arsenal create 140-year history and even ex-Chelsea star is backing them for Champions League glory

Jan 20, 2026 - 23:30
Arsenal create 140-year history and even ex-Chelsea star is backing them for Champions League glory

Arsenal have made it seven Champions League victories in a row for the first time in their history.

The Gunners swept aside Serie A leaders Inter Milan at the San Siro thanks to a first-half double from Gabriel Jesus and another from Viktor Gyokeres six minutes from time.

Jesus was in inspired form as Arsenal picked up yet another Champions League win
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Mikel Arteta’s men had already chalked up a 100 per cent start to the league phase with six wins from six matches prior to kick off.

140-year club history

Tuesday’s victory made it seven on the spin in UEFA competition for the first time since the club was founded in 1886 with only Manchester City having enjoyed a longer winning run with ten successive wins.

It now means Arsenal are now guaranteed a top-two finish in the League phase and direct entrance to the last-16 stage in March.

Their flawless European campaign also ensures that Arsenal will play all knockout round second-legs at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners can confirm top spot next week with victory over Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan.

Arsenal are well placed for an all-out assault on domestic and European glory heading into the final few months of the season.

Arteta’s men sit seven points clear at the top of the Premier League and hold a slender advantage after their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg against Chelsea.

With safe passage into the FA Cup fourth round and Champions League qualification all wrapped up, the Gunners are sitting pretty on all fronts.

The team to beat

Reacting to yet another impressive performance, ex-Chelsea star Joe Cole believes Arsenal are well stocked to go all the way in this season’s Champions League.

“It’s incredible what they’re doing,” he told TNT Sports. “I think they’re the strongest team I’ve seen at this stage of the tournament for a long, long time.

Gyokeres’ fine strike finished off the Serie A side
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“I think it could be their year.

“You look at the squad. There were seven changes tonight and they went to the San Siro and put on a performance like that.”

On a night when both of Arteta’s strikers showed their best face, the Arsenal boss has now been left his a huge selection dilemma.

The Gunners host Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday with Jesus and Gyokeres both staking good cases to get the nod based on Tuesday’s performances.

Gyokeres appeared to have made the starting spot his own, however, a recent dip in form resulted in him being substituted in his last five matches.

The Swede lost his place to Jesus for the match at the San Siro and Arteta can feel vindicated by his decision with the Brazilian delivering his best performance in an Arsenal shirt for some time.

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Arteta has brought Jesus back in from the cold and the Brazilian has quickly repaid the faith shown in him[/caption]

Reflecting on Tuesday’s win, Jesus told Amazon Prime: “It’s a dream night.

“I always dream to be a footballer, you know. When I was a kid, I watched a lot of Serie A and Italian football.

“So to be here, in this stadium, I have played here two times already, and then to score here is just like tears on my eyes, because I always dreamed to be here. So yeah, it’s all the glory for Jesus.”

He continued: “The game is always difficult to play against Inter Milan. Last season, we went here and then we lost. We had a difficult game like tonight, but tonight we played better than them.

“We controlled them. Obviously, they are a top team, they have a lot of top players, and then they attack, they are playing home.

“But at the end, we score, and then we got the three points, the chances, and then that’s it. It’s an amazing feeling now, but we have to keep going because we have another one in the weekend.”

Next up for Arsenal is a potentially stern test against Michael Carrick’s Manchester United with the clash taking place at the Emirates on Sunday.

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