Gabriel Jesus and the audacious flick which bamboozled all of Liverpool
Arsenal’s winning streak in the Premier League was halted by Liverpool, but the flair on show by Gabriel Jesus is exactly what they need in their final eight matches.
This is the point of the season when the pressure really kicks in. In the case of Arsenal, they need to ignore the growing threat of Manchester City and focus on the fluid football that got them into this position in the first place.
Mikel Arteta’s side have been at the top of their game when they are willing to take risks. In some instances, that has even been the difference between them and City this season.
While Pep Guardiola’s side can kill you with 1000 passes, Arteta’s squad have been more direct in their attacks. Maintaining this style of play might just be enough to get the Gunners over the line.
One player in the Arsenal squad who is immune to pressure is Jesus. After all, he already has a mere four Premier League medals in his collection.
His latest piece of audacious skill against Liverpool is exactly what Arsenal fans want to see right now. Nothing else quite shows you aren’t bowing to the pressure like juggling the ball over an opponent’s head.
Thiago thought he had a chance of winning the ball after Jesus had taken a gentle first touch. This all seemed to be part of the plan though as the Brazilian promptly flicked it over Thiago like it was nothing.
Like a puppy chasing a tennis ball, the Spanish midfielder was bamboozled by what Jesus had just done to him. The icing on the cake was the no-look pass which then followed.
Since his return from injury, Jesus has picked up from where he left off. He has now scored three goals in his last two starts for the Gunners and he is playing with a skip in his step.
The result against Liverpool wasn’t what Arteta will have been hoping for, but the Gunners did show glimpses of how good they can be.
“Wow. Very intense game,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “The game was under control but after that we conceded a really sloppy goal and the game shifted momentum.
“We started well in the first few minutes [of the second half] but then lost control. It became a very transitional game, very chaotic. Liverpool could score three or four. It is true we could have scored two or three so maybe at the end the score is fair.
“We could have taken three points. We should do that [play like the first half] for another 15 minutes and then the game would have taken a very different trajectory. We didn’t. We have to take the point.”
As things stand, Arsenal hold a six-point lead over Man City at the top. However, with City having a game in hand and an upcoming game against Arsenal at the Etihad, it’s all to play for.
The Gunners ultimately couldn’t capitalise on their 2-0 lead against Liverpool, but Jesus’ audacious skills showcases that he will not wilt to the pressure when things crank up.
By Ben Stewart
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