Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes is confident Gabriel Jesus and William Saliba can provide a huge boost to the team, and explained how he is helping both to settle.
The Gunners signed Jesus from Manchester City to fill an attacking void left by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's exit in January and Alexandre Lacazette's move to Lyon following the expiration of his contract at the Emirates Stadium.
Jesus was on fire in pre-season, hitting seven goals including a hat-trick in the demolition of Sevilla, and made his Premier League debut for Mikel Arteta's side in last week's 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
While the Brazilian was not on the scoresheet, his pressing from the front caught the eye and defender Gabriel has revealed he may have had a small part to play in Jesus' move to north London.
"Gabriel [Jesus] is a really good guy. Of course, it helps that we have the Brazilian link," he told Sky Sports.
"When we were on international duty, we discussed his future and I was telling him, 'Come to Arsenal! Come to Arsenal!' Maybe I had a bit of an influence there."
"He is someone who is very focused and really enjoys working hard. He is here to improve the team and he is already doing that.
"He has come here with big expectations. He wants to achieve big things with Arsenal. I think he is really going to help us."
In the win against Palace, Gabriel had a new partner at the heart of defence in the form of Saliba, who was making his competitive debut for the Gunners three years after he was signed from Saint-Etienne.
The France international earned an abundance of praise following his performance, including being compared by Gary Neville to a young Rio Ferdinand, and Gabriel believes they can forge a strong relationship on the field.
"He's a young player who came here at a very young age and then went out to get some experience," he added.
"Now, despite his age, he is already playing for the French national team. That tells you how good he is. He's here to help the team and he's a very promising talent.
"He is a good friend of mine already. We speak French together, so that helps. He has added a lot of quality to the team and I think he has a brilliant future ahead of him.
"I have been here for two years now, so I do have experience that I can use to help him.
"But at the same time, he can help me. He has a lot of quality and a lot of physical strength out on the pitch. We have similar qualities. I think we complement each other well."
Fans celebrate Luton’s fairytale promotion to Premier League at civic parade
Thousands of Luton fans have celebrated the Hatters’ fairytale rise into the Premier League at a civic parade in the town.
Luton won promotion to the top flight of English football on Saturday by beating Coventry in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final, just nine years after playing in the National League.
Rob Edwards’ side – who won 6-5 on penalties at Wembley after the game had been drawn 1-1 – will next season welcome champions Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United to their modest 10,356-capacity Kenilworth Road home.
“It means everything,” said head coach Rob Edwards before launching into a rendition of Bon Jovi’s ‘Always’ and holding aloft the play-off trophy on the Luton Town Hall balcony.
“It’s for you (the fans), the Luton Town people, for the town, these players who deserve it, for the backroom staff who work so hard, the board. We’ve got to enjoy this moment.”
Some Luton fans had waited nearly four hours to see players and staff make their way on to a specially-constructed stage in the town’s St George’s Square.
Highlights of the season and the play-off final were shown on a big screen before two open top buses arrived following a short ride from Kenilworth Road.
Hatters chief executive Gary Sweet told fans: “The impact of being in the Premier League will be massive for this town.
“This could be a life-changing opportunity for us, but from a character point of view, don’t change.
“Let’s still be us, still grounded. Let’s keep humble.”
David De Gea says Manchester United are ready for one more ‘special’ battle
Manchester United have fought for success all year and David De Gea says they are ready for one more “special” battle against Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge has been one of progress and, for the most part, positivity, with the side finishing third in the Premier League and sealing a Champions League return.
The Dutchman is only the second manager in United’s history to win a major trophy in his first season and has the chance to add to February’s Carabao Cup triumph this weekend.
Ten Hag’s Red Devils head to Wembley for the first all-Manchester FA Cup final, when they will attempt to add to their cabinet and stop rivals City’s attempts to win the treble.
View this post on Instagram“We have to recover well and start to prepare for the game,” De Gea said. “Of course, we know it’s a big final, a special game.“We’ve been the whole year fighting to be in that position to win titles and we will try absolutely everything to try to win.”
De Gea and his team-mates were all in at Carrington on Monday morning, with Sunday’s starters focused on recovery from the 2-1 comeback win against Fulham at a bouncing Old Trafford.
Kenny Tete had put the visitors ahead in the Premier League season finale and Marco Silva’s men would have extended their lead had Golden Glove winner De Gea not stopped Aleksandar Mitrovic’s spot-kick.
United kicked on after that, with Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes completing a victory that saw them beat Newcastle to third spot.
“We concede the first goal from a corner and then I think five minutes after we concede a penalty,” De Gea, whose contract has yet to be extended beyond the summer, said.
“I was very positive. I was feeling like ‘come on, you have to save this penalty, we have to finish properly the season at home, we have to win’.
“Then I make the save, everyone was happy, enjoying and I helped the team to win the three points today.
View this post on Instagram“The manager wants us to be focused every game, winning every game. Before the game he was shouting before ‘come on guys, we have to finish properly, winning mentality’.“So, yeah, we showed it again. 1-0 down, suffering a bit, but then we create chances and could have scored even more than two.
“But, like I say, a big way to finish the season with a victory and (it) gives a bit of enjoyment to the fans.”
The result saw United equal the club’s record of 27 home wins in all competitions in a single campaign, while also meaning they finished 17 points better off than last season.
“100 per cent, for sure, the improvement is there,” De Gea told MUTV. “Of course we still have a gap to improve but, yeah, a massive improvement from last season.
“Winning a cup, finish third – it’s never easy to finish in the Champions League places in England.
“And then we have another final, a big final, so I think at the moment it is a great year.”
As for Fulham, the defeat at Old Trafford was frustrating but this was a season to cherish having finished 10th on their return to the top-flight.
View this post on InstagramGoalscoring right-back Tete said: “Unbelievable season, every single player.
“If you saw how we fought all season for every single point. Not even one game was easy for us.
“I am just proud of the boys. We said it as well to each other and this is something we have to build on.
“We know now what our standard is, we know now what we can bring. I can’t wait for next season.”
Dundee United’s relegation confirmed following defeat at Motherwell
Dundee United’s relegation from the cinch Premiership was confirmed as they fell to a 3-2 defeat at Motherwell.
The Terrors required a victory and an eight-goal swing in goal difference to avoid the drop but they were unable to produce a great escape at Fir Park.
Kevin van Veen took his incredible scoring run to 11 consecutive matches by breaking the deadlock after five minutes – setting a new Scottish Premiership record in the process.
United responded through Jamie McGrath’s penalty and Steven Fletcher coolly fired Jim Goodwin’s side ahead early in the second half, but Motherwell would come surging back.
Blair Spittal levelled after 69 minutes before Max Johnston grabbed a winner shortly after having a goal ruled out for offside.
Spittal saw a shot gathered at the second time of asking as the home side threatened in the first minute.
The opening goal arrived after five minutes when Sean Goss dispossessed Glenn Middleton and slid a neat through ball to Van Veen, who coolly rounded the goalkeeper before slamming the ball into the net.
United were in desperate need of a response, and a good stop by Liam Kelly prevented Middleton drawing them level in the 10th minute. Fletcher was then denied an equaliser by an excellent goal-line clearance from Paul McGinn.
Van Veen almost doubled his tally after he connected with Stephen O’Donnell’s cross, only for his header to clip the crossbar and drift over the top.
Referee Steven MacLean awarded the visitors a penalty following a VAR check on the half-hour which showed Bevis Mugabi to have handled inside the area.
McGrath stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick and he powerfully dispatched the ball beyond the reach of Kelly to restore parity for Goodwin’s men.
Mikael Mandron passed up a glorious chance to head Motherwell back in front when he failed to hit the target following good work from Van Veen.
Fletcher’s close-range header struck the outside of a post just before half-time, though the striker would complete the turnaround three minutes into the second half – giving their travelling supporters a glimmer of hope that they could orchestrate a miracle turnaround.
Peter Pawlett did well to link with McGrath before surging forward, and he teed-up Fletcher for the simplest of finishes past Kelly.
A superb save by Jack Newman prevented Mugabi’s point-blank header from finding the net and there was a further chance for Mandron before James Furlong’s low drive somehow stayed out after striking a post and flashing across the goal-line.
The equaliser eventually arrived with 21 minutes remaining on the clock, Spittal drilling the ball beyond the despairing Newman from the edge of the box.
Johnston saw a goal ruled out for offside as the home side continued to press and Goss really should have taken on a shot himself rather than squaring the ball to Van Veen who was hampered by a tight angle.
Johnston was not to denied second time around when he found the net again with eight minutes left on the clock, turning home Furlong’s cross to put beyond any doubt that the Tannadice side would be relegated.
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