Gabriel Jesus has insisted that he is ready to play up to 70 games this season - just days after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta claimed that "top players" have to be capable of clocking up those sorts of numbers.
The Spaniard insisted that he has no concerns over the volume of games that some Arsenal players will have to negotiate this term due to the mid-season World Cup. And Arteta has urged his squad to embrace the challenge with the Gunners currently flying high at the summit of the Premier League.
When he was questioned on resting key players like Bukayo Saka after last week's 1-0 win over PSV Eindhoven in the Europa League, Arteta said: “Look at the top players in the world – they play 70 matches, every three days and make the difference and win the game.
“[If] you want to be at the top, you have to be able to do that. And if we start to put something different in the mind of a young player, I think we are making a huge mistake because then [he would] be like ‘no, I don't play now, on astroturf I don't play’.
"I don't want that; I want them to be ruthless every three days. I want them knocking on door [saying]: 'I want to play, I want to win the game'. There is no fitness coach in the world that is going to tell me that they cannot do it, because I've seen it: 72 games and scoring 50 goals. The players that score 50 goals do not play 38 games in the season, it's just impossible."
On the eve of Arsenal's second meeting with PSV inside a week, Jesus has responded to his manager's bold claim - and the former Manchester City man is evidently up for the challenge.
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"I’m eating well, sleeping well. I’m enjoying life in my new shirt," Jesus said in Wednesday's pre-match press conference. "I’m ready to play 50, 60, 70 games this season. I live with my daughter, which helps me to mentally recover from playing and training."
Although Jesus has impressed since joining the Gunners from Manchester City in a £45million deal in the summer, the Brazilian striker is currently in the midst of a five-match goalscoring drought.
Jesus missed some golden chances in the 1-1 draw with Southampton on Sunday, but he is not panicking and is confident he will rediscover his form sooner rather than later.
He added: "It’s happened before and I’m sure it will happen again. That’s football. I don’t want it to be like this. I want to improve. Next game I will try again and 100% I will score."
