Arsenal star’s ‘crisis of confidence’ has Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer concerned

Arsenal have had a mixed start to the campaign, and the form of one of their big name players is beginning to concern Match of the Day pundits Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker believe Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus has lost a lot of self-belief.

The Brazilian is yet to contribute a goal or an assist in 10 appearances in all competitions and has only started one Premier League match. Jesus, 27, missed two chances in the Gunners' 1-0 home victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.

He was also overlooked for penalty duty, as Leandro Trossard was selected as Mikel Arteta's side's spot-kick taker. Jesus enjoyed a strong debut campaign at the Emirates Stadium, but found himself displaced by Kai Havertz last season.

Despite winning four Premier League titles with Manchester City, Jesus does not currently appear to be a first-team starter for Arteta. Shearer and Lineker think this could be weighing on his mind.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Shearer said: “They are obviously playing Havertz more as the centre-forward and Trossard spends a bit of time up there with him, whether that is as the No.10 or alongside Havertz.

“Jesus played to the right of Havertz and he had a couple of really big chances. I think it’s 22 or 23 games where he is looking for a goal, or something like that.

“He missed two really big chances. There’s no problem with his work rate or anything like that. But when you’re not in the team and you get given an opportunity, you’ve got to take it.

“He didn’t the other night, he just did okay and that’s it. When you’re out of the team and you’re given a chance, you need to do a lot more than you did.”

Lineker then replied: “He’s got a bit of a crisis of confidence at the moment I suspect. He’s in one of those runs, a bit of a rut, isn’t he? He needs a couple of goals.”

Arteta recently challenged Jesus to rediscover his form and confidence so he can get back into the first team. The Spaniard also made it clear his performances have to be much better than they currently are.

He said: "He came back in great shape, probably the best condition he’s been with us, he was flying in pre-season and, unfortunately, he got that injury straightaway which affected him for a few weeks. He put a lot of work into it to come back and now he needs to get the rhythm.

"He’s played a few games, he started against Atalanta and Bolton and Southampton. He’s there, now he needs to earn the right to play more. He’s got our full support, he’s a player who can play in various positions and he’s a really important player for us."

Arsenal host current table-toppers Liverpool next at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday before an awkward away clash against Preston in the League Cup. With the Gunners still sweating on the fitness of Bukayo Saka, Arteta may need to turn to Jesus to fill the gap in their forward line.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Get the new Arsenal shirt for 2024/2025

The new Arsenal shirt for next season is now on sale
Ranging from £55-£110

The new shirt has returned the Gunners to their roots placing a stripped-down, elegant-looking canon right over the heart of the new shirt. Shirt manufacturers Adidas have produced a "clean and minimal" and the design "embraces modernity, while honouring Arsenal’s rich heritage.

Adidas
Buy it now