Jesus hopes his goals can help end Arsenal title drought

Gabriel Jesus is determined to keep scoring as Arsenal look to end their more than 20-year wait for a Premier League title.

Jesus was on target again during a 3-1 comeback win away to Brentford on Wednesday, the Brazil striker scoring his sixth goal in four games.

It was all a far cry from a previously woeful run of just one goal in 33 appearances for the 27-year-old Brazilian, a four-time Premier League winner with now struggling champions Manchester City.

Arsenal, who last won the English title in 2004, will have the chance to cut table-toppers Liverpool’s lead to just three points when they travel to Brighton on Saturday -- the day before Arne Slot’s side face Manchester United at Anfield. Liverpool also have a game in hand on the Gunners.

“I just want to keep winning and scoring and helping the team, the club, to be there always fighting for the title,” Jesus told TNT Sports.

“I know it’s a long way, we have to look for ourselves and then obviously after, we want the top of the league to drop points. But we have to look at ourselves and do our job like we did today.”

Arsenal have finished runners-up to City for the past two seasons and start 2025 once again in second place.

“The previous two years were amazing,” said Jesus. “Obviously, we did not win, but we fought until the end.

“To play in this competition is already hard, to fight for the title, imagine.

“I’ve already been there (with City), but I can see this team is experienced now. We have amazing players, and I’m sure we can go there and fight for the title.

“But it’s still early, and we just need to keep trying to play well and win the games.”

Jesus cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s 13th-minute opener for Brentford before Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli scored for the Gunners early in the second half.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, set to be without the injured Bukayo Saka until March, said the form of Brazilian duo Jesus and Martinelli was encouraging.

“We need the players up front to be firing and they have that feeling right now,” said Arteta.

“They are so consistent, the way they behave, the way they train, and they want it.

“Goals are about moments and the feeling and energy that a player has and they are both in a good mood right now.”

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has revealed Arsenal’s preparations for their 3-1 win at Brentford were hampered by a virus that swept through his squad.

Several of Arsenal’s stars were struck down by the illness on the eve of the crucial Premier League clash on Wednesday.

German forward Kai Havertz was sent home with the bug, while England midfielder Declan Rice was only able to come off the bench in the second half.

Martin Odegaard reportedly struggled with the virus ahead of kick-off and although he was able to start, the Arsenal captain made a mistake that led to Bryan Mbeumo’s opener and was replaced in the second half.

But the Gunners recovered impressively at the Gtech Community Stadium as they ignored the illness outbreak to climb back into the title race.

Goals from Gabriel Jesus, Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli ensured Arsenal would not be derailed.

“It affected players on the pitch and off the pitch,” Arteta said after second-placed Arsenal moved within six points of leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

“It is nothing serious. But it wasn’t the ideal situation. In relation to the symptoms, with Kai it was obvious. He wasn’t feeling well at all. He had very clear symptoms so stay away from it, put him in a car, and go back to London.

“These things happen. In this period, there are always things thrown at you, infections, viruses, so I try to delay the line-up as late as possible because you can get up in the morning and unfortunately have a surprise like this.”

Arteta is hopeful the virus will have abated for his side’s trip to Brighton on Saturday.

Agencies