Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is adamant Arsenal signed a ‘massive upgrade’ in the striker department with Gabriel Jesus. He has also praised Mikel Arteta’s ‘brave decisions’.
The Saints boss will host Arteta’s Premier League-leading Gunners at St Mary’s on Sunday. Hasenhuttl oversaw a 1-0 win in the corresponding fixture last season. But the Austrian is not expecting to see the same type of performance from the visiting team at the weekend.
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Southampton’s win in April put a huge dent in Arsenal’s quest to qualify for the Champions League. It capped a miserable run of three-straight defeats for the north London side. But Arteta responded in the summer by bringing in Jesus from Manchester City in a £45m deal.
Jesus has been nothing short of a revelation in the capital after hitting the ground running from the get-go. The 25-year-old has five goals and four assists over his 10 Premier League games. He is also often the one driving the Gunners on with his quick feet and endless grit.
Arteta also raided the Etihad Stadium to secure a new left-back in Oleksandr Zinchenko for £32m. The Ukraine international is another Arsenal player whom Hasenhuttl praises along with their central options. Even though Zinchenko has only played two of their last seven.
Ralph Hasenhuttl is adamant Arsenal secured a ‘massive upgrade’ in Gabriel Jesus
Jesus replaced Alexandre Lacazette as Arsenal’s striker, having already paid Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang £7m to leave in January, per The Times. Arteta allowed Lacazette to leave at the end of his contract in June. He re-signed for Lyon five years after switching for £46.5m.
What Jesus has offered Arsenal in a short space of time has impressed Southampton boss Hasenhuttl ahead of Sunday’s match. But the Austrian also acknowledges how Arteta has grown as a coach since he replaced Unai Emery as the Gunners’ boss in December 2019.
“Jesus is a massive upgrade, he has made a big difference,” Hasenhuttl said. “The left-back is new and in the centre, they are very strong. So, they are a super-developed team with a lot of individual quality.
“And with Mikel in his third year, I think he’s learned how to handle the group. He has made brave decisions in the past and now is getting reward for it. Not a coincidence they are much more consistent and flying high.”
Arteta will oversee his 145th game in charge of Arsenal in all competitions at Southampton on Sunday. The 40-year-old has claimed wins in 86 and drawn 20 of his previous 144 at the Emirates Stadium helm. His Gunners squads have also scored 256 to 153 goals conceded.
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