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Arteta says “really special” Arsenal star has been so good in training lately
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a happy man after his side swept past Club Brugge in the Champions League, extending their 100 per cent record in Europe.
Arsenal cruise to 3-0 win over Club Brugge
The Gunners have now secured maximum points from their opening six fixtures, establishing a three-point cushion at the summit of the league phase standings.
Goals from Noni Madueke (2) and Gabriel Martinelli ensured Arsenal maintained their remarkable momentum in Europe’s elite competition, having already beaten the likes of Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid this season.
Madueke opened the scoring with a spectacular 25-yard thunderbolt midway through the first half, with the England international then doubling his tally just two minutes after the restart.
Martinelli added further gloss to the scoreline eleven minutes later, curling a delightful effort from the edge of the penalty area into the corner.
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He’s been in fine form this season.
The Brazilian winger has been in sensational form throughout the European campaign, becoming the first Arsenal player to find the net in five consecutive Champions League matches.
Mikel Arteta fielded a makeshift defensive partnership of Christian Norgaard and Piero Hincapie, with William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber and Cristhian Mosquera all unavailable through injury.
Despite the enforced reshuffle at the back, Arsenal barely looked troubled defensively.
David Raya registered his fifth clean sheet of the competition, with the Spanish goalkeeper proving instrumental throughout Arsenal’s unbeaten European run.
The victory represented a perfect response to Saturday’s disappointing defeat against Aston Villa, which ended an 18-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Arsenal looked sharp from the opening whistle and never allowed their Belgian opponents any genuine attacking rhythm.
To make the evening that much better, Wednesday night marked an emotional return to the field for £265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus.
Jesus made his first Arsenal appearance in 332 days after being sidelined for 11 months with an ACL injury, entering as a substitute and nearly capping his comeback with a goal.
The Brazilian struck the crossbar late on after receiving a clever pass from Ethan Nwaneri, but Jesus was ultimately denied what would have been a fairytale moment for him.
Mikel Arteta praises ‘special’ Gabriel Jesus and makes Arsenal prediction
Speaking in a post-match press conference after Arsenal’s routine win, Arteta reserved special praise for Jesus.
The Spaniard predicts that he will have a crucial role to play in their quest to win a first league title in 22 years, claiming that Jesus brings ‘something else’ to his Arsenal team and has a ‘really special’ quality.
“It’s been a very, very difficult and long journey for Gabi,” Arteta began.
“For 11 months, he’s been fighting against another very difficult injury and to see him back with that smile, with that energy and with that quality in his first performance back with us is really impressive and we’re all delighted for him. You can see how much we love him!”
Arteta also suggests that Jesus has been seriously impressing in training.
“Yes, and especially if he continues to perform in the manner that he’s doing and the energy that he’s putting in training,” Arteta told reporters. “I think he brings something else, and I was really happy to see that and for him as well, for his confidence to grow, for his teammates to feel him as well because some of them haven’t played with him. So, Gabby has a really special quality where he suddenly connects everybody around him and that’s something that we as a team need and it will make us better.”
The 28-year-old was heavily linked with a return to Brazil, potentially in January, but Jesus himself has denied reports of a potential winter exit.
The former Man City striker has confirmed that he wants to return to Palmeiras one day, though it makes ‘no sense’ to leave N5 right now.
“My wish, as I always say, is to return to Palmeiras. And Palmeiras also want me to come back,” Jesus told Revista Placar last month.
“When I feel it’s the right time to go back to Palmeiras, I’ll decide that with Arsenal. But we’re talking about a player who has been out for nine months and is now fighting to return to the team. Some journalists speak without any basis.
“After such a complex surgery, it makes no sense for me to leave the club now.”
It will be interesting to see how Arteta fits Jesus into a side absolutely stocked full of attacking talent, but Arteta is thrilled to have him back in contention.
