Gabriel Jesus dazzles with Arsenal hat-trick in brilliant home debut
Gabriel Jesus’ remarkable pre-season form with Arsenal continued as he scored a hat-trick in a thumping 6-0 success over Sevilla.
The Gunners continue to look sharp before the start of the Premier League season next weekend, yet manager Mikel Arteta might have hoped for a sterner workout against the Spanish side, who crumbled in the first 20 minutes by conceding four times.
While a familiar hero of the Emirates crowd, Bukayo Saka, scored twice, the Arsenal support were also able to hail a new star in the form of Jesus, who continued his electric form in front of goal by bagging a treble in his first game for his new club at their north London home. Eddie Nketiah struck a late sixth in an easy win.
Gabriel Jesus is now up to seven pre-season goals and is proving worth ever penny of the £45 million they spent signing him from Manchester City.
Gabriel Jesus vs. Sevilla
Gabriel Jesus first against Sevilla came after 13 minutes and highlighted just how sharp Arsenal were looking all over the field. It was a goal that started when he gathered possession 30 yards out on the left. From there, he slipped a pass to Granit Xhaka and continued his run into the box, timing it sufficiently well so that when the cross was half blocked by the goalkeeper, he was on hand to hook the ball into the net.
Gabriel Jesus makes it 2-0 Arsenal. His first goal at the Emirates for the club. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/kiIIL5N8vs
— TheAFCnewsroom (@TheAFCnewsroom) July 30, 2022
Two minutes later, his second arrived. Gabriel Martinelli had possession in the left channel and lofted an early, angled cross into the back post, where Jesus had cleverly pulled off his marker. He met the ball in on the stretch and was able to get sufficient contact to guide it into the far corner.
GABRIEL JESUS GETS HIS 2ND TO MAKE IT 3-0 TO THE ARSENAL 15 MINUTES IN pic.twitter.com/ctDLAKInjF
— Gabriel Jesus Prop (@TheJesusZone) July 30, 2022
Although both goals were efforts a poacher would expect to score, the fact that they were ultimately very different should encourage Arsenal fans. The first owed to his determination to get into the box down the left, while the second was largely thanks to a sharp piece on movement on the right, plus a smart finish.
In the close stages, he completed his hat-trick with another predatory finish, reacting quickest in the box after a corner was nearly turned in by Gabriel.
Gabriel Jesus might not have kicked a ball competitively yet for Arsenal, but the manner in which he has started life at the Emirates suggests he could be their best No.9 for years, and his performance against Sevilla only helped to enhance such thoughts.