However, the Gunners boss stressed that whether the striker could last the full 90 minutes is “something different”.
Arteta addressed the Arsenal media team during Thursday’s pre-match press conference ahead of the team’s upcoming Monday night fixture against Sheffield United.
Gabriel Jesus, who has been sidelined since January 30 due to a knee injury, was present as an unused substitute in Saturday’s victorious match against Newcastle United.
Despite Arsenal’s convincing 4-1 win over Newcastle, Arteta chose not to deploy the Brazil international on the pitch, opting to err on the side of caution with the points secured.
When questioned about Jesus’ readiness to start, Arteta responded, “He’s physically fit, but determining his endurance level is a different matter, perhaps.”
“We decided not to take any chances following our successful result against Newcastle,” Arteta explained. “Obviously we need him fit. He’s a massive player for us and we want to make sure that now we load the players in the right way.”
Mikel Arteta says Gabriel Jesus summer surgery went well and he shouldn’t need another
Arsenal is taking a cautious approach to managing Gabriel Jesus’ playing time to prevent any recurrence of his knee issues during the remainder of the season.
Reportedly, the 26-year-old has been dealing with fluid in his knee, necessitating careful attention between matches.
Despite this, Arteta has expressed confidence that the surgery Jesus underwent last summer was successful and that another operation won’t be necessary at the end of this campaign.
According to Charleswatts.football, the current injury is unrelated to the previous one and was caused by a knock in a different area.
While it’s reassuring that Jesus is fit to start, it’s likely that he won’t be completing full 90-minute matches frequently in the coming weeks.
Fortunately, Arsenal has demonstrated sufficient depth and goal-scoring ability without Jesus, providing assurance amid the high stakes of the season.