Arsenal are now hopeful of having Gabriel Jesus back following his latest injury blow when the Gunners host Crystal Palace in the Premier League after their winter break.
The 26-year-old was a late absentee as Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup in the third round. Mikel Arteta confirmed ahead of hosting Liverpool last Sunday that Jesus had aggravated an injury. But optimism is high at Emirates Stadium that the striker will not face a long spell out.
Jesus reported he felt pain in the same knee he initially injured with Brazil at the 2022 World Cup. The forward needed surgery after sustaining a medial collateral ligament injury in Qatar that sidelined him until March. But it has continued to cause him discomfort since returning.
Arsenal hope to have Gabriel Jesus back vs Crystal Palace
Arsenal were also without Jesus at the start of the 2023/24 season after he required a minor operation on the same knee injury that has now disturbed the attacker again. But the Mirror reports that the Gunners are hopeful he will only miss the defeat to Liverpool with the issue.
The timing of the Emirates Stadium natives’ winter break may help to ensure Jesus does not sit out further fixtures. Arteta has taken the north London club to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp. They will spend one week in the UAE before to England returning on Tuesday.
Jesus is with Arsenal in Dubai whilst he continues his rehabilitation from the knee injury. The early signs are also encouraging the Gunners that he may be involved when they play Crystal Palace in the Premier League. The Eagles go to Emirates Stadium on Saturday, January 20.
What has Mikel Arteta said about Gabriel Jesus’ injury
Arteta noted after Arsenal lost 2-0 to Liverpool in the FA Cup that scans showed Jesus has a ‘minor’ injury. But the early progress he has enjoyed in his recovery in Dubai is encouraging the Gunners. Arsenal took Jesus on their winter break to continue to assess his latest injury.
“He had some pain in his knee,” Arteta said, via quotes by the Mirror in its report. “We have done a scan that shows something. Hopefully, it’s not something big. It’s the same knee that he had [an injury with before], so we could not take any risks.”
Arteta has previously praised Jesus for how the ‘tremendous’ striker ‘changed our world’ by joining from Manchester City in 2022. He offered 11 goals and seven assists over 26 Premier League outings last term. But Jesus only has three goals and one assist in 15 so far this term.
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