3 standout players from Arsenal's Champions League defeat to Inter

With some Arsenal jerseys lamenting missed chances on the night, Gunners fans will feel they should have taken something from the game. However, an impressive defensive performance from Simone Inzaghi's men meant there was little scope for the visitors to make a breakthrough. It was an all-round frustrating evening for the Arsenal attack, which huffed and puffed throughout.

Somewhat optimistically there was something positive to take from the evening, with Arsenal's defense coping fairly well in the tense atmosphere at the San Siro. With only one shot conceded and only one penalty making the difference between the two teams, there is little reason to point the finger at Arteta's defenders.

Here are three such players who performed well for this particular reason.

Facing Lautaro Martinez, last year's Serie A Golden Boot winner, is far from an easy task, but one that Gabriel should be able to handle – and he hasn't done a bad job. The Argentine talisman managed just one shot on goal and only managed 24 touches of the ball in 62 minutes on the pitch, thanks in part to Gabriel's attention to his movements.

In addition, the Brazilian almost scored the opening goal with a header from point-blank range after a corner just before half-time. While it was arguably a shaky start for Gabriel, it was a decent performance overall and the 26-year-old certainly deserves a smaller share of the blame for the defeat.

The wingers Denzel Dumfries and Matteo Darmian were always among the biggest threats for Inter. Particularly the former, whose pace and attack into the box could cause problems for any team given the opportunity. Arsenal had substituted Jurrien Timber for the Dutchman, who largely handled his duel well despite occasional hesitations.

The defense was often overwhelmed due to the breadth of Inzaghi's system, but Timber ensured Dumfries' chances were limited. The Inter man only managed three touches of the ball in Arsenal's penalty area and failed to produce a precise cross on two attempts. Mehdi Taremi also went wide on occasion, meaning Timber was sometimes outnumbered on the flank, but fortunately this didn't work in the hosts' favour.

There was a certain useful energy to Timber's performance on the ball and some of his forays into the final third were promising. However, he was missing one final pass and he might have made the difference on the night if his balls had been more accurate, but it was still a decent performance.

Amid this poor form from Arteta's side, who have managed just two wins in their last six games, Thomas Partey has proven to be an unexpectedly outstanding player. Even in the dismal defeat to Bournemouth a few weeks earlier, the Ghanaian impressed on an individual level and his performance at the San Siro, while far from perfect, clearly showed that his sparkling form is still alive, at least for the moment.

It was always going to be a tricky evening for Arsenal's midfield, particularly in the absence of Declan Rice and a fully fit Martin Odegaard, but Partey fared well overall, albeit with a few sloppy moments early in the encounter. He completed 56 of 63 passes, including nine into the final third, and also helped strengthen the defense with six ball wins and four saves.

It's been a pretty awkward time for the 31-year-old, who has bounced around in various positions including midfield and right-back, but he has managed to impress of late. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, Arteta and those around him have an important decision to make.

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