Is Gabriel Jesus set to re-join the Arsenal matchday squad for this afternoon’s Premier League clash against Fulham on Sunday?
Well, everything will be disclosed an hour or so before kick-off in west London.
Many people will be paying close attention to both the starting line-up and the names of the substitutes, as Mikel Arteta might need one or two of them to make an impact at Craven Cottage.
Jesus last appeared for the Gunners on this day four months ago in a 2-0 away victory against Wolves.
The striker suffered knee medial ligament damage while playing for Brazil in the World Cup 2022 at Qatar. Thus, the Brazilian had to go under surgery to treat his injury.
The good news is that the 25-year-old has made a full recovery despite missing the last 15 games in a row across all competitions.
Earlier this week, he gave Arsenal a major boost by participating in a full training session at London Colney ahead of the Europa League round of 16 first-leg match against Sporting CP.
Arsenal boss comments on Gabriel Jesus
The Arsenal manager has hinted that he won’t risk starting Jesus versus Fulham. In the pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta said:
“He’s been really pushing the boundaries and trying to get that recovery as quick and as soon as possible, but the reality is that when he started to do some activity, he is still feeling that he needed a little bit more time.”
“Is that a matter of days rather than a matter of weeks? Hopefully yes. But he needs to feel confident and comfortable and ready, especially the way he plays. We need him at his best so, the moment he is ready. He will be thrown on the field.”
Arteta was also asked about rushing the striker back into the first-team, the 40-year-old said: “We haven’t done that at all. Obviously, the timescale he had has been respected and now it’s more about his feelings.
“When he actually demands, ‘I really want to be a part of this’, because he’s so willing, and the moment he expresses that desire that means he feels fully ready.”
After Man City’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace, Arsenal will now look to increase their lead at the top of the table, currently sitting just two points ahead of the current champions with a game in hand.
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