Inter vs Arsenal: Preview, Prediction & Lineups
- Arsenal aiming to continue good start to Champions League campaign at Inter
- Gunners suffered a woeful defeat at Newcastle on Saturday
- Nerazzurri moved to a point within Serie A leaders Napoli at the weekend
Join us for our Inter vs Arsenal preview. It features all the key information for this Champions League fixture, including team news, predictions and lineups.
There's no respite for an Arsenal team in a difficult moment as they continue their continental campaign at the iconic San Siro on Wednesday night.
It's been a while since the Gunners encountered Inter, with their last meeting being one still discussed in pubs across north London daily. Arsenal's 5-1 win over the Nerazzurri in November 2003 is regarded as one of the club's greatest European nights, especially given that it arrived a couple of months after a 3-0 drubbing at home to the Italian side.
Mikel Arteta's Gunners enter Wednesday's game off the back of a discouraging Premier League defeat at Newcastle, but a win here would inspire plenty of confidence ahead of another international break. Arsenal have picked up seven points from their first three league phase games, but sit two places behind Inter on goal difference.
The Scudetto holders closed the gap on Napoli at the weekend following a 1-0 win over Venezia on Sunday, and Simone Inzaghi's side have tasted defeat just once in all competitions at the start of 2024/25. They're a proper outfit, even if their defensive standards have slipped somewhat.
This is the toughest fixture in Arsenal's league phase schedule, and here's our preview of the tie.
Inter vs Arsenal: Preview, Prediction & Lineups
What time does Inter vs Arsenal kick off?
Inter vs Arsenal kicks off on Wednesday 6 November at 20:00 BST.
- When is kick off? Wednesday 6 November, 2024
- What time is kick off? 20:00 BST
- Where is it played? San Siro, Milan
- Referee: István Kovács (ROU)
Inter vs Arsenal head to head record
The two great clubs have faced off just twice in competitive action, with the pair meeting in the 2003/04 group stage. In what was perhaps the most memorable season in Arsenal's modern history, the Gunners' 5-1 triumph over Inter at the San Siro is regarded among the standout moments. Inter stunned Arsene Wenger's side in their maiden meeting at the start of the group stage, with the Nerazzurri scoring three times in the first half to secure a 3-0 triumph at Highbury.
Date | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|
25 November 2003 | Inter 1-5 Arsenal | Champions League |
17 September 2003 | Arsenal 0-3 Inter | Champions League |
Is Inter vs Arsenal on TV?
Broadcasters will not be missing out on this one, with Inter vs Arsenal being selected for prime time coverage on TNT Sports in the UK. The Champions League fixture will be shown on TNT Sports 1, as well as discovery+ and the discovery+ app. Paramount+ is the provider out in the USA, and you can tune into the ever-entertaining CBS Sports crew for their thoughts on the contest. DAZN is streaming every Champions League game in Canada.
Inter team news
Inzaghi is happy to rotate and we've already seen the Italian manager deploy a so-called 'lesser XI' at Manchester City on Matchday 1.
There are bound to be changes from Sunday's team that edged past Venezia, with Hakan Calhanoglu a certainty to return to the team. Francesco Acerbi, Matteo Darmian, and Davide Frattesi could also come into the Inter side.
Lautaro Martinez is poised to continue up top, but his strike partner is up for debate. Marcus Thuram has been magnificent since joining the club in 2023, but Inzaghi also has Mehdi Taremi and Marko Arnautovic at his disposal.
Predicted Inter lineup vs Arsenal: Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Barella, Dimarco; Martinez, Taremi.
Arsenal team news
There were hopes last week that captain Martin Odegaard would return to the matchday squad on Wednesday after six weeks out with an ankle injury. If he does travel to Milan, the playmaker will not be starting on Wednesday night.
Ben White appeared off the bench at St. James' Park and could return to the starting XI here, while Jurrien Timber will likely continue at left-back with Riccardo Calafiori out until the international break.
There might be a change of tack from Arteta in a bid to invigorate his team. Kai Havertz could drop into a deeper position compete in the middle of the park, and Gabriel Jesus may lead the line at the San Siro.
Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain out for the away side.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Inter: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Partey, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Inter vs Arsenal score prediction
Arsenal's productive start to the league phase mean this isn't necessarily a game they have to win, but the Gunners could do with a positive result given what's gone on over the past couple of weeks. It's all been a bit downbeat.
And while Inter could rotate on Wednesday night, they're still an excellent side that will test Arsenal's press to the highest degree. Their defence hasn't been so sturdy this term, but they're ever so robust when they drop into a mid-block. Arsenal do not want to fall behind at the San Siro, that's for sure.
Truthfully, I'm not envisaging a classic here. Arteta may well be happy to avoid defeat and he may well be content with overseeing a stalemate in Milan.