
Gabriel Jesus (foto: Getty Images)
Gabriel Jesus could be sidelined for an extended period after sustaining a suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during Arsenal’s FA Cup tie against Manchester United.
The Brazilian forward was stretchered off just before half-time in Sunday’s match, which Arsenal lost on penalties.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his concerns during a press conference ahead of their Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur, stating, "We know more now. It is not looking good at all. We need to review with one more specialist and will have better information this afternoon. I don’t want to confirm anything until we have the final report this afternoon. We were very worried after the game and we are very worried today."
The injury comes as a significant blow to Arsenal, with Jesus hitting form in recent weeks. He netted a brace against Crystal Palace in December, added another goal in a win over Brentford on New Year’s Day, and scored a hat-trick against Palace in a League Cup quarter-final last month. Jesus, who joined Arsenal from Manchester City in 2022, has already won four league titles during his career.
With Jesus potentially out for months, Arsenal may be forced to dip into the January transfer market for reinforcements. Arteta acknowledged the possibility, saying, "We have other issues as well. A player can bring things to a team in different ways. That is what we are trying to do. We are actively looking in the market to improve the squad. We would be naive not to do that. There is an opportunity to improve the squad."
In addition to discussing the injury, Arteta addressed the online abuse suffered by Kai Havertz after the forward’s missed penalty contributed to Arsenal’s FA Cup exit. Arteta condemned the toxic behavior, stating, "It is incredible, honestly. We really have to do something about it. Accepting and hiding this has terrible consequences. It is something we have to eradicate from the game."
He added perspective on the situation, recalling Havertz’s recent goal: "On the 27th December we won 1-0 and Kai Havertz scored the goal. That was 20 days ago. Guys, what is the perspective? We are all responsible for the narrative and how we talk."
Despite the challenges, Arteta is looking forward to the north London derby, where Arsenal, currently second in the league and trailing leaders Liverpool by six points, will host 12th-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Arteta highlighted the significance of the derby, saying, "It is the nicest game of the season to watch and play because of the atmosphere and what it means to the people, us, and everyone that is involved. The atmosphere is something the fans can help with and something we can do by giving them something to feed off."