Arsenal need to bounce back from a heavy defeat at the weekend that threatens to jeopardize their Premier League place, with Gary Neville calling on the title winners to step up.
Gary Neville admits Arsenal need to calm their nerves ahead of the title showdown (Image: Sky Sports)
Gary Neville has suggested this could be the week that Gabriel Jesus takes center stage in Arsenal’s dressing room, trying to impart his wisdom and experience to get them over the line in the title race.
The Premier League saw big changes over the weekend, with the Gunners losing to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. Just over 24 hours later, Manchester City closed the gap with a win over Chelsea ahead of next weekend’s clash between the main players in the title race.
Josep Guardiola and his mates now know they can win all their remaining games and become champions as they look to break Arsenal’s heart once again. The North London players played nervously on Saturday, but were booed by the Emirates crowd.
Despite their quality and progress in recent years, there is a lack of players who have actually won the title race. Jesus is the only member of the team to lift the Premier League trophy.
The Brazilian won three times with City and will join Arsenal in 2022, but Neville said it may be time for the forward, who is not known to be a big presence in the dressing room, to settle into the Gunners’ environment.
read more: Arsenal send reality check against Man City as title rivals prepare to lock hornsread more: Man City’s unbeaten run in April, Mikel Arteta’s disappointing record and Arsenal’s near miss
He said on his podcast: “The problem they have is that none of the players in the club have the experience of winning titles. I think Gabriel Jesus is the same, but I don’t think he’s the type of player to replace that in the dressing room.”
“He doesn’t seem to be that kind of character. He’s a good player but he doesn’t seem to be someone who can really set the tone. Maybe this week he’ll have to make an impact on Arsenal.”
“I know Mikel Arteta is always looking for ways to get an advantage and we have to find something this week as well. Is it Gabriel Jesus who keeps talking about what it’s like to fight for the title? You know, he’s had some big games, some monster battles at Liverpool and he’s come through that.”
Gabriel Jesus is the only Premier League winner in Arsenal’s squad (Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal have finished second in each of the past three seasons. Despite leading until the end of two of those games, City capitalized on mistakes and won the title. Neville insists it would have been naive of Arteta and his players to think they would win their first league title without a serious challenge, despite previously boasting a comfortable lead at the top.
“You don’t win your first title by running away with a 26-point deficit. That’s not going to happen,” he said. “That’s not reality. It’s always going to be difficult. We probably had some bad experiences in previous seasons to get to this point.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
World Cup Legends – Special Edition now on sale
Nothing creates legends like the World Cup. This new special edition publication celebrates the heroes of Earth’s greatest sporting event.
Buy now here or from participating supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents from Wednesday 25 March 2026. Online orders will be shipped starting Wednesday, March 25th, with shipping and packaging charges applicable.
