AfriPulse
Premier League leaders Arsenal will end the year 2025 on top of the league table following a 2-1 victory over Brighton on Saturday.
Close rival Manchester City won Nottingham Forest 2-1 at the City Ground, earlier on Saturday to take a temporary lead before the Arsenal vs Brighton feature.
The Gunners will go into the New Year with two points advantage at 42 points from 18 matches, while Man City is at 40 points from same number of matches.
Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus, who just made a return from injury said the Gunners belong at the top in a post match interview.
“Everyone knows how tough it is to play in the Premier League, to fight up there. Manchester City have won a lot, now we are more experienced, we have a bigger squad. It’s amazing to be [top] and chasing the Premier League. That is where Arsenal belongs. I hope it happens and I hope it happens this year.”
Read also: Florian Wirtz records first Liverpool goal in 2-1 win over Wolves at Anfield
The striker who have been out for eleven months said he’s happy to be back in the team after being a the sideline for so long.
“I’m very happy, I’m very excited as well because there are still a lot of games to play. I’m feeling great and after 11 months out I still need energy, but with the ball I can trust in myself again and I’m very happy with the way I have come back.”
The Gunners have won their last three league matches but not in the same convincing manner they were earlier in the season – needing a Viktor Gyokeres penalty to beat Everton last time out, having required a 94th-minute own goal to scrape past winless Wolves in the previous fixture.
The sub-par performances will give Mikel Arteta cause for concern as Manchester City begin to breathe down their necks at the top of the table but Brighton are enduring their own struggles of late, having failed to record a victory in their last four games.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side are still 12th in the Premier League after losing to Arsenal.
However, Jesus believed he should have been awarded a penalty against Brighton on Saturday.
“I don’t understand personally why it is not a foul, I was looking to the ball and attacking the ball but the defender was not even looking at the ball. In my view I think it is a foul.”
The Gunners striker is also happy for fellow team-mate’ return from injury like himself.
According to Jesus, Gabriel’s return from injury is a massive boost for the Gunners in their title push.
“As everyone could see, it changed our back line when he came on. We had been conceding chances but when he stepped on the pitch you can see the difference, he is a leader, he is a beast at defending,” Jesus said.
Seyi John Salau
Seyi John Salau is a BusinessDay Correspondent with interest in development journalism, which tells stories that connect the people, brands, and the government. SeyiJohn is also a media professional with BSc, Mass Communition (ACU); Masters of School Media (MSM, Ibadan) & MSc, Mass Communication (Caleb).
Source: Businessday.ng | Read the Full Story…
