Gabriel Jesus is NOT an elite striker and Arsenal will struggle to beat Manchester City to the Premier League title without one, claims IAN LADYMAN on Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off’

Ian Ladyman has claimed Gabriel Jesus is not an elite striker and Arsenal may not be able to topple Manchester City without one in their forward line. 

Jesus started in attack in the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Tottenham in the North London derby on Sunday and while he impressed in his overall display, he spurned a glorious chance to put Arsenal 2-0 ahead in the first half. 

The Brazilian robbed the ball off James Maddison just inside the box but couldn’t find a finish and blazed his shot over the bar. 

Speaking on Mail Sport’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast this week, Ladyman, Mail Sport’s Football Editor, believes missed opportunities like that show Jesus is not a striker on par with the very best in the Premier League. 

Ladyman said: ‘He’s not an elite striker, Jesus. 

Jesus missed a big chance for Arsenal in Sunday’s North London derby against Tottenham 

‘I’m not saying that Gabriel Jesus should be nowhere near an Arsenal shirt. That would be ridiculous. What I’m saying is that I’m not sure that they have an elite striker. And I wonder – when the ultimate aim is to try and usurp Manchester City, who do have an elite striker – whether they can do it without one.’ 

Chris Sutton chose to focus on the Brazilian’s other attributes and the effect he had on Man City in the wide areas as well the improvement his made to the attack since his move to north London. 

However, Ladyman continued to labour the point on the Gunners striker, questioning if Jesus lived up to his potential at Man City and Pep Guardiola’s decision to sell him last summer. 

‘But Gabriel Jesus was bought by Manchester City to be a long-term replacement for Sergio Aguero and it didn’t work,’ he said. 

‘I remember interviewing him when he first came and there was so much fuss about him, so much expectation and it didn’t work. 

‘He couldn’t even get Aguero out of the team and Guardiola eventually sold him. Guardiola doesn’t sell elite footballers, does he? He doesn’t make many mistakes. People could argue that Zinchenko to Arsenal might have been a mistake. I don’t know if it was really. 

‘He moved Sterling out to Chelsea. That’s not turned out to be a mistake. I’m just not sure that Jesus is that person. I’m not sure his numbers are quite good enough. But we will see.’ 

Jesus moved to the Emirates at the start of last season in a £45m deal from City, impressing in the first half of the season before suffering an injury at the World Cup with Brazil that ruled him out until March. 

He scored 11 goals in 26 games for the Gunners, whilst this season he has notched once in his first three games of the campaign. 

Ladyman and Chris Sutton discussed the impact Jesus has made at Arsenal in the new show