Gary Lineker is now not convinced that Gabriel Jesus will automatically return to the Arsenal starting XI once he is back to full fitness.
When fit, Gabriel Jesus is the first choice striker at Arsenal.
However, in the Brazilian forward’s current absence, the Gunners have gone to a new level in terms of goalscoring.
Without the former Manchester City man on the pitch, Arsenal have scored 14 goals across their last three Premier League matches, and have only conceded once in that time. First, Mikel Arteta’s men recorded a landmark 3-1 win over Liverpool. Arsenal then managed a record-breaking 6-0 victory against West Ham United at the London Stadium. Last time out, the north London club thrashed Burnley 5-0.
Against West Ham and Burnley, Leandro Trossard was named in the starting XI, and was tasked with leading the line, at least in a nominal sense. The Belgian was able to get on the scoresheet in both fixtures, but he has been operating as a false-nine, rather than as an out-and-out striker. This has allowed him to regularly rotate and interchange his position with Kai Havertz, and the pair have struck up an effective on-field relationship.
The connection between Havertz and Trossard has raised questions about what Arteta needs from a striker. It has also cast doubt over Jesus’ place in the Arsenal pecking order.
Is Gabriel Jesus still the first choice Arsenal striker?
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, former England and Barcelona striker Gary Lineker said, “Jesus has been out injured, hasn’t he? It’s questionable now where and whether he’d get back in. I thought as well, Havertz is contributing as well.”
Jesus has already been warned that his place at Arsenal is under threat due to the recent form of Trossard. What’s more, even prior to his injury, there have been concerns about the striker and his lack of goals. Arsenal have been heavily linked with a number of potential replacements for Jesus.
The 26-year-old is undeniably a supremely talented player, who brings flair, pressing energy, and smart link-up play to the team. However, his wastefulness in front of goal is a problem, and now, it seems as though Arteta may well have found a system which brings the best out of Arsenal from an attacking standpoint, and Jesus is not involved.
That is not to say that Jesus’ absence is the reason for Arsenal’s recent goal glut, but it shows that the Gunners can thrive in the final third without his presence, which may mean that he struggles to retake his place at the top of the pecking order once he is cleared to return to action.
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