Why Jesus must settle onabench role going forwards

WHEN Gabriel Jesus joined Arsenal two years ago, Mikel Arteta described him as a player who "changed our world".

- Simon Collings

Now, after a difficult season, it feels like the world is changing around Jesus, and he is fighting for his place in this Arsenal side.

Injuries have hit the Brazilian hard, to the extent he has started just 17 Premier League games this season.

It is the lowest number Jesus has managed since the 2018-19 season, when he was playing for Manchester City, and even then he still scored seven goals, despite making only seven starts.

This season the 27-year-old has scored just four goals in the league and, unless he finds the net three times in the final two games, it will be his worst return since moving to England in 2017.

Jesus will be hard pushed to start either Arsenal's trip to Old Trafford on Sunday or their final game of the season, at home to Everton next week, because Kai Havertz has been in such brilliant form.

The German has established himself as Arsenal's main striker since the turn of the year and, with the title on the line, Arteta is unlikely to pivot away from that.