Gabriel Jesus’s Arsenal return was emotional – but he could be exactly what they need – The Athletic

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Gabriel Jesus sauntered off the substitutes’ bench and straight back into the hearts of the Arsenal fans.

After 11 months on the sidelines, the 28-year-old Brazilian striker returned to first-team action during the second half of Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Club Brugge.

There was much to celebrate for Arsenal here: a sixth Champions League win on the spin, another clean sheet, a convincing victory with an unfamiliar line-up, and two wonder goals from Noni Madueke — who hit a brace — and Gabriel Martinelli.

And yet it was Jesus’ return that added the real feel-good factor. To see him back on the pitch — smiling, combining, flitting into the channels and dropping into midfield — was a joy.

“(We’re) so happy for him,” said manager Mikel Arteta. “I think you can see how much we all love him. It’s been a very, very difficult and long journey.

“For 11 months, he’s been fighting against another very difficult injury, and to see him back with that smile, with that energy and with that quality in his first performance with us is something really impressive, and we’re all delighted for him.”

Jesus only played for half an hour, but it was enough time for him to make a considerable impact. He actually made more touches of the ball than Viktor Gyokeres, who was on the field for the first 62 minutes.

That is partially down to a stylistic difference, and a tiring defence — but it does illustrate the degree to which the returning Jesus was involved. He also had a number of shooting opportunities and struck the crossbar.

“Everyone was expecting me to score,” Jesus told Arsenal’s official website after the game. “Obviously, I wanted to score. I had some opportunities, but even with that, I’m so happy and so pleased, because to come back and then to have some touches that I had tonight, and then the way I could move, the way I could keep the ball. I feel more than ready.”

Jesus appeared as a substitute for Arsenal (Bruno Fahy / Belga Mag / Belga / AFP via Getty Images)

The Brazilian’s introduction meant that, for one brief stage of the game, Arsenal lined up with an attack of Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli — the trio that propelled the team into unexpected title contention in 2022-23. It was enough to make the hardest-hearted Arsenal fan wistful.

“I love him,” Martinelli had said of Jesus on the eve of the game. “I always say that he’s one of the best strikers in the world for me, so I’m really happy to have him back — not just on the pitch, but outside the pitch as well.

“Playing with him is really good. He loves to link up and to move and to rotate.”

Arteta is convinced Jesus can have a significant role to play in the remainder of the season. “Especially if he continues to perform in the manner that he’s doing and the energy that he’s putting in training,” said the Arsenal manager. “I think he brings something else, and I was really happy to see that.

“Gabi has a really special quality, which is that suddenly he connects everybody around him, and that’s something that we as a team need, and it will make us better.”

Jesus’ combination of audacious individual skill and natural team ethic makes for an intoxicating combination. The question now is whether he can stay fit long enough to be a consistent presence in the Arsenal front line.

Consistency is also the aim for Madueke, who opened the scoring with a stunning individual goal.

In the 25th minute, the England international held off his marker, drove infield and then unleashed a rocket of a shot that kept rising and rising until it cannoned in off the crossbar.

“(It was an) unbelievable goal,” concluded Arteta. “When you talk about individual quality and individual action and magic moments, that’s it. (He’s) a player that is able to pick the ball that far, dribble past people and finish with the quality and the power that he’s done.”

But the manager added: “It’s about consistency. It’s not a game, it’s two games, three games. It’s when you do ten games in a row, every three days, and that’s the level that we have to hit.”

It was just Madueke’s second Arsenal goal, but he may never score a better one.

He scored an altogether simpler goal just after the break, before Martinelli produced a marvel of his own. The 24-year-old skipped infield before sending a shot arcing into the far corner.

It was a beautiful goal, on a beautiful night for Arsenal. Arteta’s men handled the occasion superbly, especially considering the unfamiliar look to the line-up. There was a rare start for Christian Norgaard at centre-half, and 16-year-old defender Marli Salmon came on for his senior debut.

But nothing will have stoked the fans’ imagination quite like Jesus’ return.

This dazzling cameo has whetted the appetite. Arsenal fans will be hoping to see more of Jesus in the weeks to come.