Gabriel Jesus has taken only two games to make himself the star of Arsenal attack with five goals and one assist in his last three starts, making him a real contender to fill a huge void in the Arsenal attack amidst Bukayo Saka’s injury.
While Arsenal mourn the loss of Bukayo Saka, who is ruled out until at least February due to a hamstring injury picked up in the win at Palace on Saturday, the new found form of Gabriel Jesus in this festive period could ease the pending burden on the North Londoners.
The Hale Ender has been central to the Gunners’ attacking force, his creativity and consistency have often been the difference-maker. With ten Premier League assists to his name, he has just been recently overtaken for most by Mohamed Salah of Liverpool.
Saka has been directly involved in 22 Arsenal goals across all competitions this season, a number that makes his the club’s most productive player by some distance. In his absence, they do have a pending storm to weather if they are to remain in the contention for the league title until the 23-year-old returns.
Gabriel Jesus: Time has come to Answer his True Arsenal Calling
Arsenal appeared to have outgrown Gabriel Jesus since the start of last season following the arrival of Kai Havertz in a 65 million pounds deal from Chelsea. His role further diminished in early 2024, when the German was moved up top and fit in perfectly.
However, desperate times they say, calls for desperate measures. Month without Bukayo Saka needs something more than ordinary and given he has proven capable recently, Arsenal can again turn to their 45 million pound investment as press for return in the form of satisfying performances.
Gabriel Jesus, who has recently played himself into the headlines with five goals in his last two games could still prove the Messiah Arteta intended him to be for Arsenal, and if he will be, he couldn’t have arrived at a better time.
Mikel Arteta was high in hopes when he talked about the Brazilian’s preparation for the new season before it kicked off in August, but it had been another disappointment until recent turn of event has started to suggest there may after all be something about the Gabriel Jesus narrative taking him close to Messiah comparison.
The Gunners passed the chance to bring in a new striker in the summer as they choose to trust in the form of Kai Havertz in the second half of last season, and the promises shown by Jesus during the pre-season games.
Unfortunately, they have been made to regret that decision. Even though they are not necessarily lacking in goals, there have been instances where they needed their strikers to turn up for the team but have been left wanting.
With 33 points from 17 games into the league season, this is Arsenal’s worse start in the last three seasons, which has continuously make fans doubt the capability of Mikel Arteta to lead the club to a first league title in 21 years.
Despite the shambolic form of Manchester City, Arsenal have not been convincing enough to run away. They currently sit third behind Liverpool and Chelsea, both clubs who only appointed new managers in the summer.
Despite their good status in the other competition, the pressure is high on Arteta to deliver the Premier League title this season, as it continues to dawn on everyone that the blue ribbon of Manchester City will be ripped from the title after four long years.
In the absence of their best player, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus is set to be afforded more opportunity, which has been earned with his performances in the last two games.
The former Manchester City man had not scored in a home game for the club this year before facing Crystal Palace in a Carabao Cup quarter final meeting on Wednesday night, where he then bagged a second half hat-trick to secure a 3-2 comeback win.
Gabriel Jesus carried his form of mid-week into the weekend. Deployed in central role by his manager, he scored the opening two goals, becoming the first player since Robin van Persie in February 2012, to score five straight Arsenal goals without interruption.
Mikel Arteta has in a recent interview name the Brazilian amongst the alternative available to fill in for Saka. Asked about how to cope in the absence of his star man, the Spanish boss named Gabriel Jesus amongst his options, saying;
‟Gabby (Jesus) has played there, Ethan Nwaneri has played there, and Leo can play there in relation to how that unit moves. Kai can play there, asking him different things. We’ll see, try to speak to them as well and understand how they feel about it.ˮ
Jesus, although has only found the back of the net seven times in 2024, having failed to score in the Emirates all year long before his hat-trick against The Eagles, his new found form may not only save his Arsenal career but also prove vital in while Saka remains on the sideline.
With five goals in his last two games, he has secured the license to lead Arsenal’s attack and with the kind fixtures lined up until February, Gabriel Jesus will have the opportunity to prove himself as the Messiah for Arsenal this season.
He also comes with a good omen of never losing a Premier League game which he has scored in, extending his record to 61 games this weekend with his 56th win. Arsenal will really need him to get in the goals more often these.
Will He Be The Promised Messiah?
If indeed Gabriel Jesus will prove the Messiah remains to be seen. Branding him the Messiah could be too sudden given his form prior to the last two games. However, Jesus has in the past proven he can rise to the occasion, even at Arsenal.
In his early days at the club, Jesus was explosive before picking up an unfortunate injury during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has failed to regain the good form. He has got the skill and talent, plus his recent form has restored self-belief.
December has so far proven to be a month of chaos for Arsenal with back-to-back league draws at Fulham and against Everton. The injury to Saka has to be the most dreadful of all the calamities that could have befallen them.
Nonetheless, amidst it all is opportunity for another to build on their rejuvenating career. It is going to be a long three month for Arsenal without Saka, but walking the path with Jesus could lead to glorious days, if he did prove the promised Messiah.
Will Gabriel Jesus be the Messiah? Well, we’ll see.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
