Gabriel Jesus ‘doesn’t care’ about rumours linking Arsenal with other strikers

By Sports Desk November 30, 2023

Gabriel Jesus is unconcerned about Arsenal reportedly coveting other strikers as he seeks to stay fit and translate his prolific Champions League form into the Premier League.

Brazil international Jesus took his European tally to four goals in as many appearances by claiming the Gunners’ second in Wednesday evening’s 6-0 demolition of French side Lens.

Yet the former Manchester City forward has found the net just once in the top-flight this term amid absences due to knee and hamstring injuries.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been linked with potential moves for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Brentford’s Ivan Toney, in addition to an audacious bid to sign Paris St Germain star Kylian Mbappe.

Jesus dismissed the significance of the transfer speculation and insisted he offers more than just goals as he defended his scoring record.

“This happens you know, maybe it can be agents talking about a lot of things,” he said.

“I’m not the most experienced, but I think I have seen a lot of things in football.

“Sometimes it is like this, it happened when I was at City even with (Sergio) Aguero and me scoring. I was scoring a lot and people was linking everyone. So here, I don’t care about this.

“I know my qualities and I know what I can bring to the team. I can score and I can also help with other things, like opening spaces. But the only people who can see it are those who watch the game and understand.

“Those who don’t understand we will say that: ‘Oh he didn’t score today’. But maybe I run and open space for someone and, let’s be honest, I don’t miss a lot of chances.

“I think it is not about ‘he doesn’t know how to score’. Sometimes I have to be more in the box, that is the one thing I am working on.”

Premier League leaders Arsenal booked a Champions League last-16 spot as Group B winners with a thumping midweek win at Emirates Stadium.

Jesus assisted Kai Havertz’s opener and then doubled the advantage with a composed finish before Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard added further first-half finishes, prior to Jorginho’s late penalty.

The 26-year-old feels comments he made last week regarding his goal-scoring ability in the aftermath of his country’s World Cup qualifying defeat to rivals Argentina were misinterpreted.

“I spoke after the game against Argentina – and people don’t understand sometimes and people took it out of context and said ‘Gabi, his strong point isn’t scoring’,” he said.

“I said this, but not in that way. I have other qualities as well, but I can score guys!

“Obviously I want to score every game, if it’s possible a hat-trick. But that’s not the reality.

“Now my main target is to keep fit because I know I can help everyone here. I’m sleeping better, I’m eating better.”

Jesus was a Champions League runner-up with City in 2021 and says the Gunners – beaten finalists in 2006 – must believe they can go all the way in the tournament.

“If you talk about experience in this competition, Arsenal have reached the final in their history,” he said.

“They didn’t win but Arsenal is big. Arsenal can go and face strong teams, playing good. That is enough to believe.

“First we have to believe and then go there and try to win the games.”

Related items

  • Motta salutes 'solid and concrete' Juventus after derby victory over Torino Motta salutes 'solid and concrete' Juventus after derby victory over Torino

    Thiago Motta hailed Juventus' "solid and concrete" display on their way to victory over Torino in Derby della Mole.

    The Bianconeri claimed bragging rights in the Turin derby, with goals from Timothy Weah and Kenan Yildiz sealing all three points.

    Juve climbed to third place - a point behind leaders Napoli - after extending their unbeaten start in Serie A, while earning a ninth clean sheet - the most of any side in Europe's top five leagues.

    And Motta paid tribute to his players for their performance levels at the end of a busy seven days.

    "It's always important to play with balance, and today, we put in an excellent performance, bringing home three precious points," he said.

    "I am happy both for the result and for the level of play expressed in front of our fans, who supported us a lot. We have to thank them, as well as the boys, because it was not easy.

    "It was the third game of the week, we were able to manage our energy well, and we were solid and concrete for the whole 95 minutes. A well-deserved victory."

    Weah became only the second American to score for Juventus against Torino after Weston McKennie in 2020.

    Next up for the Bianconeri after the international break is a showdown with AC Milan at San Siro, where Weah's father George played a starring role during the 1990s.

    "Today I'm happy," he said. "We have to continue like this, because when we play like tonight, we're strong.

    "Now, the match against Milan awaits us. It's important, also for me and for the history of my family."

  • Slot believes Liverpool have 'many challenges to come' in Premier League title race Slot believes Liverpool have 'many challenges to come' in Premier League title race

    Arne Slot envisages "many challenges to come" in Liverpool's Premier League title race, despite his side moving five points clear at the top of the table with victory on Saturday.

    The Reds capitalised on Manchester City's slip at Brighton by taking all three points in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa to establish breathing space at the summit.

    Darwin Nunez gave the hosts the lead at Anfield as he capitalised after a quick counter, before Mohamed Salah did the same six minutes from time to secure all three points.

    While Slot was pleased by the outcome, he is aware the cushion at the top does not guarantee a smooth run in their title challenge.

    "It wasn't easy, like most of our games have been now," he told TNT Sport. "Aston Villa were maybe not as aggressive as we thought they would be.

    "We were patient. One thing they are very good at is set-pieces. In general, we had control over the game and scored from two counter-attacks, which is maybe not what we would expect.

    "If I look at the games that are ahead, they are tough. It will be a tough season in general. Margins are small, we have a margin, but it is small. [There are] many challenges to come for us."

    Slot has got off to a fine start since succeeding Jurgen Klopp as manager at the start of the season, as he became just the fourth manager to win as many as nine of his first 11 Premier League games in charge, after John Gregory, Guus Hiddink, and Carlo Ancelotti.

    Liverpool now have 28 points in the league. They have only previously equalled this total once after 11 games, in their title-winning season of 2019-20 (31). 

    Equally, no manager has ever won more points from their first 11 games in the competition than Slot. The Dutchman is not concerned by totals or margins, however, with his focus remaining on the philosophy he wants to instil at Anfield.

    "As a manager, if you come into a new club, you don't think about how many points after how many games," he told BBC Match of the Day. "You think about changing the style or keeping it as it was.

    "To change the style, you have to do a lot of things on the training ground and in meetings. The only thing I have thought about is how to implement the playing style, and how to make sure the players keep working as hard as they can."

  • FC Cincinnati 0-0 New York City FC (5-6 on pens): Ilenic sets up Hudson River derby FC Cincinnati 0-0 New York City FC (5-6 on pens): Ilenic sets up Hudson River derby

    New York City FC will face the New York Red Bulls for a place in the Eastern Conference final after a 6-5 penalty shootout victory over FC Cincinnati.

    In a shootout during which five spot-kicks were missed, Mitja Ilenic kept his cool to slam home and get NYCFC over the line after a 0-0 draw in Ohio.

    Cincinnati, last season's Supporters' Shield winners, had the better of the chances at TQL Stadium, though NYCFC did have a goal disallowed midway through the second half, with Alonso Martínez having been flagged offside.

    But Nick Cushing, who this week insisted he wanted to stay at NYCFC amid reported interest from Arsenal Women, saw his team get the job done in dramatic fashion.

    NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, who made a crucial save to deny Luca Orellano on the half-hour mark, looked set to be the hero until his counterpart Roman Celentano thwarted Thiago Martins.

    Freese's save from Gerardo Valenzuela then sparked a remarkable streak of five straight missed penalties, with Kevin O'Toole denied by Celentano, Chidozie Awaziem and Andres Perea blazing over, and Teenage Hadebe kept out by NYCFC's shot-stopper, before Ilenic finally showed how it was done.

    NYCFC will now go up against their city rivals next week, while Cincinnati must lick their wounds heading into the offseason.

    Data Debrief: Away form a concern for Cushing

    While New York can celebrate making the Conference semi-finals, they have now won only one of their last 15 away games in all competitions.

    Indeed, NYCFC have won just five of their last 41 road matches in all competitions since the start of the 2023 season.

    Their meagre 0.28 expected goals (xG), compared to Cincinnati's 1.13, across the 90 minutes showed they were largely outplayed, and Cushing will be glad next week's semi-final will take place on home turf - with NYCFC the sixth seed, whereas the Red Bulls are the seventh.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.