It's North London Derby day this Sunday as Arsenal travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to take on their fierce rivals in a highly-anticipated Premier League clash.
The Gunners defeated Antonio Conte's side 3-1 in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium, with Spurs defender Emerson Royal controversially receiving a straight red card following a rash challenge on fellow Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli. Mikel Arteta and Co will be hoping to complete the double over their local foes but the Spaniard will be without star striker Gabriel Jesus for the trip to N17.
Jesus, who joined Arsenal from Manchester City in the summer, suffered a nasty knee injury during Brazil's 2022 World Cup campaign and is expected to miss at least another month before returning to full training. Now, the 25-year-old has taken to social media to update his followers on his progress.
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Writing on Instagram, Jesus said: "5 weeks", accompanied by a picture of him in the gym on an exercise bike. Some fans theorised that the talented forward's message was that he would return to action in five weeks, although it is more likely that he is referring to the fact that it has been five weeks since he underwent surgery on the affected area.
Despite playing the last three Premier League matches without their star forward, Arsenal still find themselves top of the table, five points ahead of second-placed Manchester City. Young striker Eddie Nketiah has thrived in Jesus' absence, netting four times in his last four outings across all competitions, including a brace during Monday's FA Cup third-round win over Oxford United.
Arteta was full of praise for Nketiah after the match, hailing the 23-year-old's finishing ability in his post-match press conference. "He showed great composure", the Spaniard said when asked about Nketiah.
"He’s a great finisher, the timing of his runs and the decision-making in waiting until the last moment when the keeper was committed shows his quality. His understanding, his work rate, I think he’s getting better and better."
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