Arsenal injury latest: Charles Watts makes Gabriel Jesus prediction after Kai Havertz, William Saliba updates

Arsenal should make an “inevitable” decision on Gabriel Jesus ahead of this weekend’s Premier League showdown with Aston Villa, Gunners expert Charles Watts has exclusively told Sports Mole.

The Brazil international was a surprise inclusion on the bench for Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea, nearly 11 months on from suffering a devastating ACL injury in January’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United.

Jesus did not make it onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge, but he has been in full training with the team over the past couple of weeks and is on course for an imminent competitive return after a recent behind-closed-doors friendly appearance.

Players often take part in Under-21s matches after a long absence through injury, and while Arsenal’s youngsters do not play another competitive game until January, there are rumours of an exhibition game being scheduled for Saturday.

However, Watts believes that it is “inevitable” that Jesus will be in the squad at Villa Park, saying: “He’s been on the bench against Chelsea, why wouldn’t he be on the bench against Aston Villa?

“If he’s not going to come off that bench, then maybe it’d be better for him to play 60 minutes against Manchester United or whoever it might be. It’ll be very interesting how Arteta uses him. I was really, really surprised when he was involved this weekend. I thought we’d definitely see him in at least one more behind closed doors game.

Arsenal injury news: Charles Watts makes “inevitable” Gabriel Jesus claim

“He scored in the first one against Watford and looked very lively by all accounts. Maybe it was that performance that tempted Arteta to think that he looks ready. When that game was panning out for the last 20 minutes, he brought on Gyokeres and took Eze off, I was really hoping he was going to bring on Jesus.

“Obviously Jesus wasn’t deemed ready, but that was a game state that was perfect for Jesus rather than Gyokeres. But if he’s on the bench against Chelsea, you feel like it’s inevitable he’ll be on the bench against Villa. It’s a decision for the medical staff to make.”

Jesus could also make an appearance in Wednesday’s home clash with Brentford, although Mikel Arteta is expected to be without four experienced players for the visit of the Bees.

Leandro Trossard (calf) and William Saliba (knock) will be out for “some days” with their minor issues, while Gabriel Magalhaes is known to be facing one to two months on the sidelines with the hamstring injury he sustained on international duty.

Arteta also confirmed a setback for Kai Havertz, who will need a few more weeks to recover from a troublesome knee injury, which has restricted him to just one substitute appearance in the 2025-26 season.

However, when the former Chelsea man is back in the ranks, Watts believes he will be like a “January signing” for the Gunners, adding: “It’s just a tale of Arsenal’s last couple of seasons, but it is inevitable.

‘Kai Havertz will be like a January signing for Arsenal’

© Imago

“Trossard went the whole way through last season when everyone was dropping like stones – at some point you’re going to pick up something. Mikel said it’s a matter of days, so if he’s not involved tomorrow, you’d hope certainly for Villa Park.

“Saliba, again, Mikel didn’t say what it was. He called it a very bizarre injury, similar to the one he picked up at Anfield when he went over on his ankle. It’s only a matter of days, so it’s not massive.

“Havertz is a shame. It was quite interesting Arteta talking about the injury, the setback, how he got to a certain point and then just couldn’t get beyond that point. They had to try something different, now Mikel says they’ve unlocked something, which suggests he’s out on the pitch.

“Fingers crossed it will now just be a few more weeks till we see Kai Havertz. I hate the cliche, but it will feel a bit like a January signing, because we’ve not seen him basically the whole of 2025. If he could get himself back fit and you have him for that second half of the season, it’s an extra man and it’s a man of real quality as well. That’d be a huge, huge boost.”

While Havertz is missing and Jesus is working his way back to full fitness, Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino can hold the fort up front, and Watts also revealed which member of the duo should be starting in the number nine slot against Brentford.

> Click here to listen to the full discussion on Arsenal’s latest injury situation