FOOTBALL: Gabriel Jesus Emerges From The Darkness And Enters The Arsenal’s Light

Gabriel Jesus Emerges From The Darkness And Enters The Arsenal’s Light. In Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mikel Arteta has bought £75m worth of winning mentality and hunger that is being infused into the promising core Arsenal already possessed.

It was a case of the haves and the have-nots at the Emirates on Saturday. Arsenal with their shiny new toys and the joy and freshness that brings, Leicester making do with last year’s models from which the lustre has been rubbed off.

Jesus is not only embracing his role as the main striker after seasons of living in the shadows at Manchester City. The Brazilian also gives the impression that he wants to push his own boundaries and those of his new teammates.

Gabriel Jesus Emerges From The Darkness And Enters The Arsenal’s Light. The quick-witted, minimal back-lift chip that put Arsenal ahead was the kind of purity of expression you see from a player who knows he won’t be rotated back out of the side if it doesn’t come off.

Then there was his spin around Jonny Evans in a one-on-one tussle that demonstrated his obvious flair for playing through the middle, not to mention his poacher’s header that made it 2-0. Add in two lay-offs for Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli to score Arsenal’s other goals. None of it surprised Zinchenko who has seen Jesus at close quarters at City.

“He was good today. I know during all the years I’ve spent with him that he’s an incredible player, always hungry for goals which is the best quality as a striker. He doesn’t stop at all and I’m so happy for him.

“The team is always first for him and the club always in front of any individual thing. I never had any doubts about him. You can only look at his numbers and how he works along with his attitude every day in training.

“He’s an example. He’s still young. Everyone needs to improve, but he still has a lot of quality. His progress is unbelievable.”

Already, comparisons are being made with Arsenal strikers of more glorious times.

“It’s difficult to compare him with Dennis Bergkamp or Thierry Henry. I’m not the guy who can judge that. As a kid I was a massive fan of that Arsenal team. Bergkamp, Henry, (Cesc) Fabregas, there were lots of good players.

“But that was a different team. Football is growing on a different level. It is much faster now and you make decisions quicker.”

The Ukraine international has made his own imprint. Not as dynamic as Kieran Tierney whose full-back play involves charging forward at every opportunity, Zinchenko nonetheless adds a reassuring presence when he steps in to break up play and a reliability that already makes Arsenal look more secure defensively.

Zinchenko said: “I’m trying to do what the manager has asked me to do. We’re trying to keep the ball better. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

At least Zinchenko didn’t have to mark Harvey Barnes, or any Leicester winger for that matter. The Foxes are living under a self-imposed transfer embargo which means that when difference makers like Barnes are injured, manager Brendan Rodgers is having to change his system.

The talk at the Emirates was of players potentially leaving, not coming in. Youri Tielemans was invisible on Saturday except for when he was substituted to an ovation from the Arsenal fans, who clearly hope the Belgium midfielder will join them before the transfer window closes.

Leicester owed their goals to a dreadful header into his own net by home debutant William Saliba and a determined finish from the impressive James Maddison, himself a target for Newcastle.

Rodgers expressed an admirable defence of his club, yet he is clearly also frustrated.

“It obviously feels a little strange not to be signing anyone. However, I understand the predicament the club is in, so I can’t then get too down and too disappointed about it. The reality is there.

“I’m an ambitious coach and I want to challenge at the top end of the table. For that, you need to constantly evolve and improve.

“But I respect the club, I trust the club and if we can’t do it, then of course my focus purely goes onto the players we have and try to maximise their potential so we can still have a good season.”

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale 6; White 7 (Tomiyasu 75, 6), Saliba 6, Gabriel 6, Zinchenko 7 (Tierney 77, 6); Partey 6, Xhaka 8; Saka 7 (Smith Rowe 85, 6), Odegaard 7, Martinelli 8; Jesus 9 (Nketiah 85, 6).

Subs not used: Turner, Lokonga, Holding, Elneny, Pepe.

LEICESTER CITY (3-4-2-1): Ward 5; Fofana 6, Evans 5, Amartey 6 (Daka 63, 5); Castagne 6, Ndidi 6, Dewsbury-Hall 5, Justin 7; Tielemans 5 (Praet 63, 6), Maddison 8; Vardy 6 (Iheanacho 70, 7)

Subs not used: Iversen, Soyuncu, Thomas, Mendy, Albrighton, Perez.

Referee: Darren England 7.