Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus has declared that squeaky bum time is his favourite period of the season.
Sunday’s crushing 4-1 win over Crystal Palace means the Gunners are 10 games away from winning a first Premier League title in two decades. While defending champions Manchester City are eight points behind with a game in hand, Pep Guardiola’s men are rampant.
They have six wins in a row in all competitions - only the second time this season they have put together such a sequence - and have scored 20 goals during that run. Jesus, signed from the Etihad for £45million last summer, left after lifting four league titles with City in the last five years.
Following another substitute appearance in the wake of his three-month injury lay-off, he said: “Now is, I think in my opinion, the best part of the season. It’s a period when you have deciding games, big games as well, away and at home. Now is the time we have to play the same, don’t change, be together and then we will see.”
Rookie striker Eddie Nketiah, 23, stepped in for Jesus to crucial effect with goals in wins over West Ham, Brighton and Manchester United to continue Arsenal’s title momentum. Leandro Trossard, signed for £21million from Brighton in January, has also weighed in with a goal against Brentford and six assists.
“The team is doing so well,” Jesus added. “No one here is the main man. Everyone is together. When I got injured, we were sure Eddie would go there and help us - and he did it. Trossard came in and did it as well. So, everyone is together, it’s like this. To be champions of this big, big competition, we need not only 11 players.
“It’s not easy to be out for almost four months. I prefer to be on the pitch, helping, running, playing and helping my team-mates [rather] than outside. Outside, you suffer a lot! I think I prefer to be on the pitch.”
Sir Alex Ferguson coined the phrase ‘squeaky bum time’ during his time at Manchester United to describe the period of nervous tension during the final phase of the race to win the Premier League title. But Jesus believes the understanding and camaraderie between the Arsenal stars has helped to embrace their chance to defy the odds.
He went on: “I believe when you have a good relationship with the team-mates, everything on the pitch works well. That’s why we are top of the league. We are playing good football. We understand each other. It’s very good to be a family. I wanted to be involved. Over my life, I’ve wanted to help as many as I can. That helped me a lot.
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“My family as well, my wife, my daughter, my mum, my brothers, my sisters, my friends, everyone close to me helped me a lot. And also here, the people at the club, the players, the staff and the manager helped me a lot. I think the most important thing was my mind. I tried to keep focused, keep strong and then come back fully fit.”
The bad news for opposition defences is that Jesus used his spell on the sidelines to scan videos for areas where he can make himself even better. Arsenal play Leeds, Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton in their first four games after the international break.
Jesus said: “When I am playing, every time I look at the game. I watch my chances, everything. And if I score or I miss, I watch back. I like to improve. I love improving myself, onside the pitch and outside it as well. That’s me.”
