GABRIEL JESUS has vowed to hit the ground running in the upcoming campaign after grabbing his second goal of pre-season.
Having scored in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Leyton Orient, he hit the target in Los Angeles to equalise on 25 minutes before Gabriel Martinelli went on to hit an 81th minute winner.
It is a marked difference to Jesus‘ last pre-season that was hit by an injury and delayed his start to the season, as he missed the opening three fixtures including the Community Shield.
Jesus, 27, said: “My last pre-season was not good because I was feeling my knee, so I had to have surgery and missed all of the pre-season.
“So, I was trying to force it during that pre-season, but at the end I couldn’t and had surgery.
“That was a little bit difficult after to come back, but this season is different. I could enjoy my holidays and then I trained a lot, and I was focused to come back well and do a good pre-season.
“Now I’m in different shape and can play football again.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is certainly expecting big things from the Brazilian forward this season believing he has paid more attention to his preparations this summer.
He found the net just four times in the Premier League last season as the Gunners just missed out on top spot to Manchester City.
Arteta said: “He looks really good. He looks really sharp. He has changed a lot of things over the summer.
OLYMPICS FREE BETS – SIGN UP OFFERS AND DEAL FOR PARIS 2024
“He has come in top condition again. And when you have that baseline, other things can be built but without that foundation you don’t have a player.
“He needs to be in that condition to get the best out of him. He has realised that.
“It is a fact and you can see. The way he looks, his rhythm, his sharpness, the way he is moving.
“And you can see in his eyes as well that there is again some spark there because he has got now a point to prove and that is good.”
Jesus finished off a slick move to turn the ball home after Rasmus Hojlund had put Manchester United into a 10th minute lead.
Jesus said: “It’s always difficult when you concede first. We came back and won the game, so that’s the most important thing.
“It’s a derby, it’s a difficult game, it’s a Premier League game, they have a lot of quality and it’s tough.
“At the end, we won, that’s the most important thing. Obviously, we are preparing for the season, so I think everyone is happy.”
ARSENAL TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest deals and rumours from the Emirates
United’s lead came when a fine deep ball from Marcus Rashford from inside his own half sent Hojlund sprinting away.
He used his strength from extra work in the gym to brush aside Ayden Heaven and fire a shot through the goalkeeper’s legs.
The problem was he limped off injured a few minutes later and United did not have a striker of note on the pitch after that and lacked any threat.
Still manager Erik ten Hag was happy with his side’s performance and they did at least have the consolation of winning the end of game penalty shoot-out exhibition by 4-3.
Ten Hag said: “I think the game was a very good level for the third week of pre-season, from both sides, but in the first half I thought we were the better team.
“We scored a very good goal, a very good ball in behind from Rashford and then Hojlund with a very good move and a finish, I was very pleased.
“In such occasions he is very strong and he is a threat for every defence and he has those scoring abilities.”
Ten Hag will be crossing his fingers now that Hojlund’s injury is not serious nor that to new signing Leny Yoro who also went off in the first-half.
MAN UTD TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest deals and rumours from Old Trafford
