Granit Xhaka feels the injuries Arsenal have suffered in attack make Gabriel Jesus returning ‘much more’ important. Mikel Arteta has also just lost Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard.
The Gunners have been without Jesus since the World Cup after he sustained a knee injury in Qatar with Brazil. It forced the 25-year-old to undergo surgery as he had suffered medial ligament damage. But football.london notes Arsenal hope to have him back later in March.
Jesus could return to action before the international break having taken part in some team training sessions on Wednesday. But Arteta is also now without Nketiah after he suffered a minor injury. While Trossard suffered a groin injury in Arsenal’s win over AFC Bournemouth.
Nketiah and Trossard add to Arsenal’s injury woes as Jesus steps up his recovery
Arsenal do not believe Trossard has sustained a serious injury, despite it forcing him off 22 minutes into the match. It also prevented the Belgian from travelling to Sporting Lisbon for the first leg of the north London club’s Europa League Round of 16 encounter on Thursday.
With Nketiah and Jesus also absent for the UEFA affair, Arteta started Gabriel Martinelli as a makeshift striker. The Brazilian caused the Liga Portugal outfit some problems from the role. So, he could now start from the centre at Fulham this Sunday if Arteta needs the winger to.
The crisis of attacking depth at Emirates Stadium leaves Xhaka yearning for Jesus
But the crisis of attacking depth Arsenal are now enduring leaves Xhaka yearning for Jesus to return from his injury. He believes Nketiah and Trossard’s absences have highlighted the striker’s importance at Emirates Stadium and what Arteta has missed without the attacker.
“For sure because we lost Eddie, as well,” Xhaka said, via football.london. “It’s much more important to have Gabi back. Leo, as well, is injured and he can play in this position.
“Step by step, I hope that Gabi will be 100% fit to help this team because we know that he can help us. With his attitude [and] with his personality, he is very, very important for us.”
Xhaka has been a vocal backer of Jesus’ importance for Arsenal since the Brazilian’s £45m transfer from Manchester City. The Swiss also told BBC Radio 5 Live back in August after a brace to help beat Leicester City 4-2 that the Brazilian is ‘very special’ and ‘unbelievable’.
The goals were Jesus’ first with Arsenal en route to netting five and assisting six through 14 Premier League matches before his injury. Only Martinelli (11), Bukayo Saka (10) and Martin Odegaard (9) have outscored him so far. Just Saka (9) and Odegaard (7) have more assists.
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