GABRIEL JESUS RANKS BUKAYO SAKA ALONGSIDE VINICIUS JUNIOR AND RODRYGO
Gabriel Jesus compares Bukayo Saka to Vinicius Junior as Arsenal sit nine points clear in the Premier League.
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Gabriel Jesus isn’t shy about putting Bukayo Saka right up there with the likes of Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, and Rodrygo. When Rio Ferdinand asked him where Saka ranks among the best wide players in football right now, the Brazilian striker didn’t hesitate.
“They’re all at the same level,” Jesus said. He knows Saka as well as anyone, having played alongside him for four years at Arsenal. “He’s at the same table. Sure, they each play their own way, and they’ve had their ups and downs, but all of them step up in big moments. Saka’s earned his place in that group. He still needs to win a few big trophies, but those will come.”
For Jesus, it’s not just Saka’s talent that stands out; it’s his attitude. Despite all the pressure and the spotlight at Arsenal, Saka’s kept his feet on the ground. “Honestly, I’m a huge fan of his personality. He’s strong but so humble. These days, you don’t find many players who rise through the academy, become huge for the club, and still stay the same,” Jesus said.
With Arsenal heading into the season’s final stretch, Jesus sounds more optimistic than ever. He sees how the team’s grown under Mikel Arteta, with players like Saka leading the way, and he truly believes this is the squad to finally win the Premier League again. “I’m really confident. We’re in a great spot, and we have such a strong squad,” he said. “I believe 100% we’re doing something special this season.”
Saka’s influence has been massive. His form has kept Arsenal on top of the Premier League table, holding a nine-point lead over Manchester City even though City have a game in hand. Jesus, who arrived from City in 2022 with four league titles under his belt, thinks this team’s ready. They’ve fallen short before, but he’s convinced they can finish the job this time.
BOURNEMOUTH SHOCK ARSENAL 2-1; ALEX SCOTT HITS 74TH-MINUTE WINNER TO STUN LEAGUE LEADERS
Arsenal fall 2-1 to Bournemouth. Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott secure the shock win to ignite Man City’s title hopes.
Arsenal took a painful hit in the Premier League title chase on Saturday, falling 2-1 at home against Bournemouth. That loss cracked the door open for Manchester City to keep dreaming about overtaking the longtime leaders. Things looked shaky from the start at the Emirates. Junior Kroupi gave Bournemouth an early lead, and even though Arsenal managed to equalise through a Viktor Gyokeres penalty before halftime, they never got their groove back.
Mikel Arteta threw on more attacking players early in the second half, but Arsenal just couldn't break down Andoni Iraola’s lively Bournemouth side. Then, in the 74th minute, Alex Scott finished off a slick passing move, smashing the ball past David Raya to steal the lead again.
Arsenal pressed for another equaliser, but nothing stuck. In the end, it was only their second league loss at home all season, a real setback at a critical stage.
Now, with six games left, Arsenal still sit nine points ahead of City in second. They're desperate for their first Premier League trophy since 2004, but things suddenly feel a lot tighter. If Guardiola’s side beats Chelsea on Sunday and then topples the Gunners at the Etihad next week, that lead drops to just three points.
Arsenal came into this game on a high after edging Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in the Champions League quarterfinal midweek. But they looked oddly flat against Bournemouth, who moved the ball better and showed more energy right from kickoff.
That first Bournemouth goal in the 17th minute was smart team play; Ryan Christie threaded a perfect pass to Adrien Truffert, whose cross bounced off William Saliba and landed neatly for Kroupi to tap in. At 19, Kroupi became the first teenager since Robbie Keane in 1999/2000 to hit 10 Premier League goals in his debut season.
Kai Havertz missed a golden opportunity moments later, sending a header over the bar and adding to the frustration inside the stadium. Still, Arsenal caught a break in the 35th minute, Gyokeres buried a penalty after Christie’s handball.
Arteta, often accused of playing it too safe, tried to shake things up after halftime by sending on Eberechi Eze, teenage debutant Max Dowman, and Leandro Trossard. It didn't work. Arsenal ran out of ideas, resorting to hopeful long balls toward Gyokeres, who missed another late chance.
It’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, Arsenal were chasing that rare quadruple before being knocked out by City in the League Cup final and then by Southampton in the FA Cup. They’re still favourites for the league, but with City holding two games in hand and a trip to Chelsea coming up, that title race feels far from over.
DAVID RAYA GUARANTEES CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GLORY FOLLOWING MASSIVE QUARTER-FINAL FIRST-LEG VICTORY
Kai Havertz and David Raya inspire Arsenal to a 1-0 win over Sporting. Read the Champions League reaction and Raya's bold claim.
Kai Havertz feels something incredible is brewing at Arsenal. After David Raya confidently said he’s “100 percent” sure the Gunners can win the Champions League, Havertz delivered a dramatic stoppage-time goal against Sporting Lisbon, giving Arsenal the edge in their quarter-final tie before next week’s second leg at the Emirates.
Things were tense heading into Tuesday’s match at the Jose Alvalade Stadium. The team had just lost two games in a row for the first time this season, so their momentum was hanging by a thread. But that late 1-0 win flipped the mood completely, suddenly fueling Arteta’s squad with hope they won’t finish the season empty-handed.
Havertz admitted, “That win was huge. We’ve all been frustrated these last few weeks. But now’s the moment to move forward, stay positive, and stick together. As a group players, staff, fans we can still make something happen. This season can still turn into something special. That’s what we’re aiming for, and now we just need to keep winning games.”
The man behind much of Tuesday’s success? Goalkeeper David Raya. The Spaniard was controversially benched for both of Arsenal’s cup defeats against Manchester City and Southampton, but after coming back into the lineup, he put on a show, making a stunning early save against Maxi Araujo and stepping up with two more crucial stops before Havertz’s late goal.
Raya’s clean sheet was his 22nd in 41 games so far no other goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues has more. After the match, Raya didn’t hold back with his confidence, saying Arsenal not only will reach their second-straight Champions League semi-final (a first in club history), but could go on to win the whole thing.
He told Amazon Prime, “We believe completely we can win it. We have to take it step by step, game by game, and keep showing what we’re made of. Belief matters; if you don’t believe, you won’t win, so you keep believing, no matter what. After two losses, we had to learn from them, use that pain to push ourselves and get better every day. That’s important, and that’s the message we need to send.”
Arsenal jump back into Premier League action this Saturday, hosting Bournemouth. With a win, they could stretch their lead over Manchester City from nine points to 12. City face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge the next day, so the pressure’s on.
