Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus showcased his abilities with a goal and an assist in his team’s 2-1 win over Sevilla in the Champions League. The Brazilian international played a killer pass for Gabriel Martinelli to score before netting a stunning individual goal himself. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised Jesus for his performance in a big game.
Jesus has had a slow start to the Premier League season, missing the first two games due to injury and only scoring one goal in seven league appearances since then. This has led to rumors that Arsenal may need to sign a new striker. The question remains whether Jesus can be Arsenal‘s main striker and consistent talisman going forward.
Currently, Jesus has four goals in all competitions, second only to Bukayo Saka in Arsenal‘s goalscoring charts. Last season, he finished second behind Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Martinelli with 11 goals. Arsenal has multiple players who contribute to scoring goals, rather than relying on a single striker. However, Jesus‘ goal-scoring record at Arsenal is lower than his best season at Manchester City.
In his 44 games for Arsenal, Jesus has scored 15 goals, averaging 0.45 goals per 90 minutes. His best average at Man City was 0.82 goals per 90 minutes in the 2018/19 season. This suggests that he still has room for improvement at Arsenal. This season, Jesus has an average of 0.58 goals per 90 minutes, the highest return for any Arsenal player. If he can stay fit, he has the potential to surpass his record of 14 goals in a single Premier League campaign.
However, Jesus‘ impact on the field is not solely measured by goals. He has also provided nine assists for Arsenal. Throughout his career in England, he has been effective in creating goals for his teammates. Since his league debut for Man City, only eight players in the entire league have contributed more goals and assists than Jesus. At 26 years old, he still has several years at the top of his game and the potential to improve as a Premier League forward.
While Jesus may not reach the goal tallies of the best strikers in the World, his statistics suggest he would be a valuable addition to any front line. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal will sign a new striker in January and risk jeopardizing Jesus‘ progress.
