Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has opened up about his recovery from a serious knee injury. The forward has been sidelined since January after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the Gunners’ defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup last season. As Jesus continues his rehabilitation, he continues to update his fans on his progress via social media.
Although he is making good progress, he may still need some time to be fit enough to be selected by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, meaning he will not be fit for this weekend’s game against Crystal Palace. The 28-year-old is not included in the club’s Champions League squad, suggesting he is likely to miss most of the group games.
Jesus gave further insight into his recovery in Arsenal’s latest matchday program following the big win against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium.
“I’m feeling really good. My knee is responding really well,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being part of the team again soon and getting back to doing what I love. It’s been too long.
“Injuries like this are very long injuries, so you have to break up the recovery period into smaller moments, so I’m at a stage now where I have to restrain myself a little bit.
“We’re doing a great job on the outside pitches, but it’s difficult because we have to make sure we don’t rush over the line too much.
“Once you see the end, it’s important not to push too hard and keep your feet on the floor, so you’ll be ready when the time comes.”
Arsenal’s injury troubles continue, with captain Martin Odegaard set to miss Sunday’s home match against Crystal Palace with a knee injury, and manager Mikel Arteta expects the Norwegian to be sidelined for another few weeks.
The Gunners are also without Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke, both of whom will be sidelined until at least next month as they recover from knee injuries.
Arsenal will go into the match against Palace full of confidence after their comfortable win over Atletico Madrid in midweek.
Victor Goqueres ended the scoring drought with two second-half goals, which Arteta paid tribute to after the final whistle.
“He deserves the award because apart from scoring in the last few weeks, we saw everything in terms of what he brought to the team and how much he contributed to the team in many areas,” said the Spaniard.
“It was important to have faith in himself and be in a mental state where you can play freely and have fun. I think he definitely did that today. (He) had a big smile on his face.
“You can also see his teammates in the photos and videos. They are all very happy for him, because he fully deserves this award.”
