Gabriel Jesus Shares His Thoughts on a ‘Scary’ Comeback from Injury at Arsenal

Gabriel Jesus described his return from injury as a “scary” moment as Arsenal beat Brighton, reclaiming the top spot in the Premier League.

The Brazilian forward was sidelined for 11 months after a serious knee injury at the start of the year.

Jesus made his first appearance since January when he was substituted in against Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League earlier this month and was given his first start of the season in midweek as Arsenal advanced to the League Cup semifinals.

On Saturday, he came off the bench to replace Viktor Gyokeres with 20 minutes remaining, contributing to Arsenal’s 2-1 victory at home.

Gabriel Jesus discusses his ‘scary’ return to Arsenal

“I’m very happy and excited because there are still many games to play,” Jesus told Sky Sports after the match.

“I’m feeling great, and after 11 months out I still need energy, but I can trust myself again with the ball, and I’m pleased with my return.”

He added: “I’m glad to be back strong, I’m here, and I thank Jesus for helping me through this. It was scary to return, and I worried I might have limitations, so I’m grateful.”

Arsenal teammate Gabriel Magalhães also returned from injury, coming on in a double substitution with Jesus. Jesus believes Magalhães can greatly influence their quest for the Premier League title.

“As everyone saw, he changed our defense when he entered. We were allowing chances, but when he came on, you could see the difference; he is a leader and strong in defense. His return is a huge boost for us.”

This win puts Arsenal back ahead of Manchester City, who briefly took the top spot earlier with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest.

“Everyone knows how challenging it is to compete in the Premier League,” Jesus added. “Manchester City has a strong record, but we are more experienced now with a deeper squad. It’s great to be at the top and aiming for the Premier League. That’s where Arsenal belongs, and I hope we achieve it this year.”