Alan Shearer has urged Gabriel Jesus to maintain his recent scoring form and help Arsenal navigate the challenges brought by Bukayo Saka’s worrying injury.
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Saka has been Arsenal’s key attacking force this season, with five goals and 10 assists in the Premier League. However, the Gunners suffered a setback when Saka was forced off just 24 minutes into their dominant 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace due to a hamstring injury.
The same hamstring had troubled Saka earlier during international duty, and Mikel Arteta expressed concern over the latest recurrence, admitting he was “worried” about the star’s condition. Should Saka miss the hectic Christmas schedule, Arsenal will need the rest of the squad to step up.
Shearer specifically called on Gabriel Jesus to rise to the occasion. The Brazilian forward, who started the season quietly, has recently rediscovered his scoring touch with five goals in his last two games—a midweek hat-trick followed by a league brace.
“Saka’s absence will be a huge loss for Arsenal,” Shearer said on Match of the Day. “It’s not just his goals; his assists are crucial too. That’s why it’s so important for Jesus to step up and try to fill the gap.”
Reflecting on Jesus’ resurgence, Shearer added, “He was struggling for goals earlier, but Arteta deserves credit. That midweek hat-trick boosted his confidence, and you could see that belief on the pitch.
Today, his overall performance was excellent. He linked play beautifully, showed great pace, and looked like he belonged again.”
Mikel Arteta echoed these sentiments, challenging Jesus to build on his impressive performances and become a consistent goal threat for the team.
“We need to back him and keep pushing,” Arteta said. “He’s been through tough times, and as a striker, the spotlight is always on you.
But his work ethic has been exceptional. He came back from the summer as a completely different player, and now he’s reaping the rewards. Sometimes, it just takes time.”
Arsenal will next face Ipswich Town in the Premier League on December 27, where they’ll hope Jesus can continue his goal-scoring form and help the team through a challenging period.
