Arsenal star tipped to leave after NLD snub as Mikel Arteta may be told ‘enough is enough’
Arsenal star Gabriel Jesus has been tipped to exit the Premier League giants as he’s been left out of Mikel Arteta’s starting XI for the North London derby.
The Gunners paid around £45m to sign Jesus from Premier League rivals Man City ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
Jesus has failed to live up to expectations at the Emirates as he’s only scored 19 goals in his 70 appearances across all competitions.
The 27-year-old has been impacted by injuries and he slipped behind Kai Havertz in the pecking order last season.
In the summer, Arsenal were reportedly in the market for a new striker but Arteta backed Jesus to shine after the head coach failed to land a forward before the transfer window closed.
At the start of August, Arteta said: “I said from day one, the first feeling when I saw him after talking to him at the end of the season is that he was something different.
“I could sense it. His energy was different, the way he looks is different, the way he’s moving is different. He really wants it.
“Now it’s about finding that consistency and doing it in any context, against any opponent, against any formation, any day, every three days, for 90 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 70 minutes. If you are producing in those circumstances? It looks good.”
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Despite this, Jesus has only made a single Premier League appearance this season and has missed two games with a groin issue.
Arteta has picked Havertz over Jesus for Sunday’s North London derby as the Brazil international starts on the bench.
Dean Saunders claims Jesus may soon decide that “enough is enough” as he should be playing more football.
“I keep thinking to myself, how long is Jesus going to put up with not playing?,” Saunders said on talkSPORT.
“I think he is a really good footballer. He obviously doesn’t score enough goals, otherwise Arsenal wouldn’t be looking for a striker, but how long is he going to sit on the bench at Arsenal without saying, listen, enough is enough?
“How many games is he going to give it?”
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Emmanuel Petit has explained why he thinks Sunday’s game is a must-win match for Arsenal.
“It’s definitely a must-win game for Arsenal. They can’t afford to lose this game because the gap to Manchester City will start to grow,” Petit said.
“City have got Brentford at home, and then the two sides meet. Arsenal won’t want to go into that game against City 4 or 5 points behind them. The pressure on that game would be absolutely huge.
“It’s a massive game for Arsenal. Playing Tottenham is always a very important game.
“It’s a derby against one of your main competitors at the top of the Premier League table, but given who Arsenal are playing next, and the fact they dropped points at home to Brighton, it’s a must-win game.”