Jesus had the chance to demand Arsenal's number nine shirt, says Rooney after Inter masterclass

Gabriel Jesus delivered a performance that would turn most strikers' heads, yet Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney reckons the Arsenal forward missed a golden moment to stake his claim for regular Premier League football.

Jesus was the standout performer in Arsenal's impressive 3-1 triumph over Inter Milan on Tuesday evening, opening the scoring with a close-range volley before doubling his tally just before the interval. It was the sort of display that screams "pick me" for the weekend's showdown with United—yet Rooney sensed hesitation in how the Brazilian conducted himself afterwards.

"If I were Gabriel Jesus right now, I'd be telling the manager 'I want to start on Sunday,'" Rooney explained. "He's scored two, played brilliantly tonight. That's your moment to make it absolutely clear you want the big games."

The 28-year-old's post-match words were measured and diplomatic. "Everyone wants to start," Jesus reflected, acknowledging his teammates' quality whilst celebrating both his own brace and Viktor Gyokeres' late substitute appearance. "I'm not a kid anymore—I understand football. I'm happy Vik scored, happy I scored, and confident Kai will deliver when he gets his chance."

Rooney wasn't entirely convinced. "Arteta will have watched that interview, and that was Jesus's chance to really hammer home that he belongs in the starting XI for these fixtures," the former United skipper added.

There's undoubtedly a selection puzzle brewing at the Emirates. Kai Havertz is recovering from injury, Gyokeres proved his worth off the bench, and Arteta's squad depth has become almost embarrassingly generous. Against Inter, fringe players like Cristhian Mosquera, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Mikel Merino, and Ebere Eze all featured in the starting lineup, while Gabriel Martinelli and Gyokeres made telling contributions from the bench.

Jesus himself acknowledged this abundance of talent, expressing genuine pleasure at seeing teammates flourish. Yet for a striker at a club chasing silverware, sometimes you need to be a touch more self-interested.

Arsenal's remarkable squad depth—stretching far beyond the forward line—appears perfectly calibrated for a serious Champions League push this season. Whether Jesus can translate Milan heroics into a regular berth in domestic competition, though, may depend on how aggressively he makes his case.