MY ACCOUNT
Gabriel Jesus merely wanted an opportunity for regular football as he sought a move away from Manchester City to Arsenal.
Jesus opened his account for his new club in style on Saturday, scoring twice in a 4-2 victory over Leicester City.
The Brazil forward, who cost Arsenal a reported £45million in July, also assisted his side’s other two goals.
He finished with statistics of seven shots, with three on target, and three chances created.
Jesus moved on from the champions in search of guaranteed game time, and he will no doubt get that at Arsenal should this form continue.
“A lot, a lot,” Jesus told Premier League productions when asked how much he was enjoying his role at Arsenal.
“I was not unhappy at City, I just wanted to play and the club understood, and the manager.
“Sometimes players want to play, I’m the same. Here I come, train every day, with Eddie [Nketiah], who has a lot of quality and confidence to play as well. I think Arsenal have two good strikers.”
Jesus also detailed his frustration at missing some gilt-edged chances – including an open goal late on – to net a hat-trick.
“Of course, for sure! I work all day every day to score goals, to help [the team],” he said when asked if he was disappointed not to get a third, referring to a brilliant chance he engineered for himself late in the second half after taking down Aaron Ramsdale’s pass, only for Wilfred Ndidi to intervene.
“The ball from Aaron, I did well, and then I got to shoot, but the defender came back quick, and after I had another chance to score, so I am a little bit sad because of this.
“But I’m so happy, not just because of the goals but the way the team has played. In difficult moments, we conceded two goals, but we played well and tried always to score.”
Jesus became the 12th different Brazilian player to score a Premier League goal for Arsenal, while he is the first player to score more than once on his home debut for the club in the competition.
With two assists as well, he was the first Arsenal player to both score and assist two or more goals in a Premier League game since Theo Walcott against Newcastle United in December 2012 (three goals, two assists).
