Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, has warned Gabriel Jesus that he will have to earn his place in the team, despite his return from injury. Jesus made his first appearance since injuring his knee on World Cup duty for Brazil in December, coming on as a substitute in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Fulham. Arteta praised Jesus for his hard work during his recovery, but stressed that he will have to compete with other players for a spot in the team. He said that Arsenal has many alternatives who can play in different positions and fill in the chemistry of what they ask the players to do.
Arteta celebrated his 100th win as Arsenal boss as they restored their five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League table. The win was comfortable, with first-half goals from Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Odegaard. Arteta praised his team’s energy, quality, understanding, and willingness to dominate again, especially given the challenges of playing every three days and travelling to Europe and back. He said that it was impressive to see Arsenal dominate the game, create lots of chances, keep a clean sheet, and win in a convincing way.
Captain Odegaard echoed Arteta’s sentiments, saying that having Jesus back is a massive boost for the team. He added that they are all excited that he is available again and that they know what he will give to the team.
Fulham manager Marco Silva was less impressed with his team’s performance, saying that Arsenal deserved the three points but that for the first half it looked like Fulham weren’t on the pitch. He criticized his team for being too soft, not brave or aggressive enough, and for letting Arsenal play the way they wanted to. He added that all three goals were completely their fault.
Overall, Arteta’s warning to Jesus is a reminder that no player is guaranteed a place in the team, no matter how talented they are. Competition for places is healthy and can drive players to perform at their best. Arsenal’s convincing win over Fulham shows that they are serious contenders for the Premier League title this season.