Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reveals why Gabriel Jesus might not start against Everton
Mikel Arteta has emphasized the significant impact Gabriel Jesus had on Arsenal when he joined last summer but suggested that he might not start in the upcoming Everton match.
Arteta implied that they need to gradually reintegrate him into the team following his return from a knee injury that sidelined him at the beginning of this season. Gabriel Jesus is now back to full fitness.
During Gabriel Jesus’s absence, Eddie Nketiah has emerged as a promising talent for Arsenal, staking his claim for a spot in the team’s attacking lineup.
However, Gabriel Jesus did make a significant impact by scoring when he came off the bench in Arsenal’s recent game against Manchester United before the international break.
He also had substitute appearances for Brazil against Bolivia and Peru. With Arsenal set to kick off their Champions League campaign against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday, Mikel Arteta might consider making changes to their attacking lineup for the Everton match on Sunday.
Arsenal is heading to Goodison Park, a venue where they’ve faced difficulties, losing their last three visits and failing to secure a win since 2017. Arteta acknowledged Gabriel Jesus’s importance, describing him as a tremendous player who played a crucial role in their team last season.
“He brought a different energy, different belief, different threat, a different fear for opponents. And he did it in a really natural way. He contributed hugely to the step we made last season.
“The last six or seven months for Gabi, with the long-term injury he had and the amount of football that he missed, he came back in pre-season and he started to get his rhythm again – and then he had another injury. So we have to build him up.”
Arteta expressed his appreciation for the ‘chaos’ that Gabriel Jesus brought to Arsenal’s style of play following his £45 million transfer from Manchester City.
However, injuries restricted the Brazilian’s impact, leading to only 24 starts and 11 goals last season. Arteta humorously added, “In certain areas of the pitch, I love the chaos. In other areas, I hate it!
“It’s where you produce that chaos. Gabriel draws a lot of attention from opponents with the way he plays and creates space for others. That’s a big quality of his. When you sign a player that you know, who has done it in the league and has the hunger and right reasons to join us, it was a no-brainer.
“You could see the impact he had on the team straight away.” Despite Arsenal’s poor recent record at Goodison Park, Arteta insists that his side will be ready for the physical onslaught they are likely to face. He said: “In the last six years we haven’t won there – so we’re going to have to earn it.
“Sometimes you cannot avoid a battle. They have a certain style that they are extremely good at. But Everton’s quality is not physicality. Just talking about physicality doesn’t reflect the quality they have, how they build sequences and momentum. It is deeper than that.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reveals why Gabriel Jesus might not start against Everton
