Arsenal survive a problem that Sergio Aguero feared would derail their title charge
On Saturday, Arsenal will have the opportunity to briefly restore their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, following Manchester City’s recent dropped points at Nottingham Forest.
The Gunners will face Leicester at 3 pm, while City will play against Bournemouth two and a half hours later.
This has been an extraordinary season for Arsenal, and their ability to overcome various challenges has been the most consistent aspect of their campaign.
They have demonstrated their capability to score late goals, secure crucial away wins, and recover from being behind. Last weekend, Mikel Arteta’s team exemplified these qualities during their victory over Aston Villa.
Despite their impressive performances, there was a concern among many, including Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero, that Arsenal’s downfall would begin with injuries to key players. The World Cup, which is scheduled in the middle of the season, was seen as a potential obstacle that could halt the Gunners’ momentum.
Back in October, the Argentine striker commented on Arsenal’s performance during the first half of the season but refrained from stating his belief that the Gunners could win the league due to the potential impact the World Cup could have on the team.
“We’re on the first stage of a Premier League that will be different from many others – by and large because we’ll have a World Cup in the middle of it. That makes it harder to foresee how it’ll turn out,” Aguero explained.
“Consistency is the name of the game to win the title and the missing piece is knowing in what condition each player will rejoin their clubs after the World Cup. Arsenal will probably be one of those teams but surely not the only one.”
Aguero’s belief became stronger after hearing that Gabriel Jesus, who was bought for £45 million and was a vital forward, got a knee injury while playing for Brazil in Qatar. He had to undergo knee surgery and would be out for three months.
This made many Arsenal fans and neutral supporters think that their chances of winning the title were over. They didn’t think that Eddie Nketiah, who replaced Jesus, was capable of leading the team from the Boxing Day match onwards.
Surprisingly, two months later, despite the setback of losing Gabriel Jesus to injury, Arsenal are still at the top of the league table. Eddie Nketiah, who was doubted as a capable replacement, has proved his worth and is now the club’s top scorer in all competitions this season.
He has also scored almost as many goals in the league as Jesus did. Nketiah has scored crucial goals against teams like West Ham, Brighton at the Amex, and even a remarkable brace against Manchester United that included a last-minute winner.
The fact that Eddie Nketiah, who was previously not getting much playing time when Gabriel Jesus was fit and playing well, has seamlessly transitioned into being the team’s top scorer is a testament to the culture that Mikel Arteta has established at Arsenal.
When Jesus completes his rehabilitation and returns to the team, he may be surprised to find that he won’t simply walk straight back into the starting lineup. This is something that even Aguero, or anyone else for that matter, could not have foreseen.
Arsenal survive a problem that Sergio Aguero feared would derail their title charge
