Danny Murphy thinks Arsenal will cope just fine without Gabriel Jesus and thinks the suggestions they will crumble are actually ‘disrespectful’.
Arsenal were dealt a huge blow during the World Cup with Jesus picking up a concerning knee injury with Brazil.
Jesus underwent surgery earlier this month and could now miss up to three months as he recovers.
That’s an enormous blow for Arsenal even with the Brazilian struggling for goals in Premier League.
Jesus is just so good with his pressing, creativity and link-up play, bringing something completely different to the Arsenal attack.
Jesus will be desperately missed in the Arsenal front line and it will now be down to Eddie Nketiah to fill in for the Brazilian star.
Some believe that Arsenal’s title hopes will now end with Jesus out for so long but one pundit believes that is absolute nonsense.
Danny Murphy thinks Arsenal will cope without Jesus
BBC Sport pundit Danny Murphy has told the Daily Mail that he has seen people suggesting that Arsenal will ‘crumble’ and doesn’t agree at all.
Murphy suggests that Arsenal simply shouldn’t be afraid of playing without Jesus, who hasn’t scored in 11 games.
Murphy did hail Jesus for his unselfish play but feels that Nketiah can be a reasonable replacement with his ‘fox in the box’ ability.
The former Liverpool midfielder added that claims of Arsenal’s impending demise are ‘disrespectful’ to Mikel Arteta and many of his players.
Murphy named the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard as players who should be given more respect, suggesting that Arsenal will continue to challenge without their star striker.
“A lot has been made of the knee injury Gabriel Jesus suffered with Brazil, that might keep him out for a month, but I don’t think the Gunners will crumble, as some suggest,” said Murphy. “Jesus has been important in Arsenal’s great run: he’s unselfish; works hard off the ball and sets the tone for the press. But he hasn’t scored in his last 11 games so I don’t think Arsenal should be fearful of playing without him.”
“Eddie Nketiah is a fox in the box and can finish. Arsenal’s next three games against West Ham, Brighton and Newcastle are all winnable without Jesus. It’s disrespectful to Arteta, as well as stars such as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and the other Arsenal players, to suggest one injury setback will make it a stroll,” he added.
It’s a big ask for Nketiah to bring everything that Jesus does in terms of his ability to drop deep, create for others and start the Arsenal press.
Still, this is ultimately why Arsenal fought so hard to keep Nketiah towards the end of his contract last summer – to use him if Jesus is injured.
Nketiah now has that chance and Arsenal will hope to see him find the net and contribute the other aspects of the game that Jesus brings so well.
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