Mikel Arteta has claimed that Gabriel Jesus must “earn the right to play more” as his minutes for Arsenal remain limited.
The Brazilian striker is working to regain his form after suffering an injury setback in August, which disrupted what had been a promising pre-season, during which he scored against both Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester United.
Arsenal has settled on a system that utilises Kai Havertz as their false 9, with Jesus’s only start coming in the recent victory over Southampton.
Aside from that, he has primarily been limited to substitute appearances in the Premier League, although he has started in both European competitions and the Carabao Cup.
Despite these opportunities, Jesus has yet to find the back of the net this season, raising concerns about his ability to be the prolific frontman Arsenal is searching for.
While Arteta has expressed confidence in his player’s potential to turn things around, he has urged Jesus to demonstrate why he deserves more playing time.
Arteta said: “He came on in a great shape, probably in the best condition he’s been with us.
“He was flying in pre-season and unfortunately he got that injury straight away that affected him for a few weeks.
“He put again a lot of work into it to come back and now he needs to get the rhythm.
“He’s playing a few games, he’s started two games in a row vs Atalanta and Bolton, he’s come on against Southampton.
“So yeah, he’s there. Now he needs to earn the right to play more.
“He’s got our full support, he’s a player that can play in various positions and he’s a really important player for us.”
Gabriel Jesus has managed just 19 goals across two seasons at the Emirates.
Last year, he admitted that scoring goals isn’t what sets him apart as a player.
He said: “There are things that I don’t control.
“I train, I look for, I try, I move, I help the team.
“The goal is inevitable.
“I believe it’s not my strong point, but I score goals and I’m there to score goal.”
Jesus was signed by Mikel Arteta just over two years ago, with hopes that the former Manchester City striker could lead the team to trophy success.
However, that has yet to materialise, prompting Arteta to explore new configurations for his front three.
Kai Havertz has thrived in a more advanced role, while Leandro Trossard has emerged as a significant option across the frontline, making a number of impressive contributions off the bench.
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