Mikel Arteta offers Gabriel Jesus injury update before Fulham v Arsenal

By Sam Preston

Mikel Arteta has been asked about Gabriel Jesus and his return from injury ahead of Arsenal’s London derby with Fulham.

Jesus has not played since the World Cup, which ended early for him with an injury which required surgery.

He did not go to Portugal with the Gunners squad for the Europa League clash with Sporting on Thursday night but he is back on the training pitch.

Arteta spoke to Sky Sports about his number nine and said he is hopeful his comeback will be within a matter of days rather than weeks.

Mikel Arteta offers Gabriel Jesus injury update

He said: “It’s been a while. He had a bad injury and he’s really been pushing the boundaries and trying to get that recovery as quickly as possible.

“The reality is that when he has started to do some activities, he is still feeling that he needed a little bit more time.

“Is that a matter of days? Hopefully, rather than a matter of weeks, but he needs to feel confident and comfortable and ready for it, especially the way he plays.

“We need him at his best. The moment he is ready, he will be thrown on the field. The timescale that he had has been respected and now it is more about his feeling. When he actually demands, ‘I really want to be a part of it’.

“The moment he is expressing that desire is when he is really ready. He has been in the last few weeks but now we are comfortable with where he is on the metrics where he is safe to come back, they are in the right places.”

Arsenal are understandably cautious about rushing Jesus back too early and risking a setback as they embark on the title run-in.

Whenever he comes back, he needs to be comfortable and ready and it seems that the signs are that will happen before too long.

Arsenal are struggling for forwards with Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah out, but Arteta will not hurry Jesus back despite that.