Arsenal fell to a second consecutive defeat as Inter Milan beat them 1-0 at San Siro in the Champions League thanks to Hakan Calhanoglu’s first-half penalty.
Mikel Arteta’s side arrived in Italy without Declan Rice because of an injury on a week when they head to Chelsea in the Premier League off the back of a damaging defeat at Newcastle, and his absence was felt as the Gunners lost in Europe for the first time this season.
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino was hooked at half-time after his handball gave away the spot-kick, although there was little he could do to move his hand out of the way of Mehdi Taremi’s flick. It is one that likely would not have been awarded in the Premier League.
Merino felt he should have had a penalty earlier in the first half when Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer connected with his head as he punched clear Gabriel Martinelli’s cross, but VAR did not see enough to overturn the on-field decision.
Arsenal pushed for an equaliser but failed to score for the second game running as William Saliba spurned a good headed chance and Kai Havertz was expertly denied by Inter defender Yann Bisseck, preferred ahead of the impressive Alessandro Bastoni.
Not even the introduction of captain Martin Odegaard, out for the last 12 games through injury, could inspire a late comeback as Arsenal drop down to 12th in the Champions League table after gameweek four.
Inter, meanwhile, move up to fifth, into the automatic qualification spots, with 10 points from their opening four games, maintaining their unbeaten start to the competition despite having played Arsenal and Premier League champions Manchester City.
More to follow.
