The Sunday Times - UK (2022-04-24)

6 April 24, 2022The Sunday Times

Football Premier League

G

abriel Jesus, a player whose

long-term future at Man-

chester City has been the

subject of conjecture of late,

certainly displayed an

uncanny sense of timing

yesterday; four goals and an

assist re-establishing his

team’s four-point lead at the top of the

Premier League and even eating into

Liverpool’s advantage in the goal-

difference column.

Out of contract in 12 months, and

with no sign of a new deal being

agreed, Jesus had scored only three

Premier League goals this season, and

one since September, before his

53-minute explosion against Champi-

onship-bound Watford.

If this was one of the last appearan-

ces of his 5½-year career with the club,

it was one he will long remember as he

headed down the tunnel at the Etihad

Stadium clutching the match ball. If,

as reports suggest, Arsenal are a possi-

ble destination for Jesus, the 25-year-

old Brazilian could certainly prove a

shrewd investment, based on this

display.

“Gabriel is our player,” Pep Guardi-

ola, his manager, said. “I don’t know

what’s going to happen but he belongs

to Manchester City.

“If there is one person in the world

who deserves days like this, it’s him.

I’m pretty sure there is not one per-

son, his team-mates, the staff, the

backroom staff, everyone who knows

him, who is not happy for him.

“But Gabriel doesn’t need to put in

a performance like that and score four

goals for me to know exactly what he

can do. Every player is happy when he

Jesus boosts

market appeal

Ian Whittell

Jesus holds up

four fingers to

represent his

goal tally —

more than had

scored in the

league all

season before

yesterday

DANIEL LEAL

51

MAN

CITY

WAT FO R D

Jesus 4, 23,

49 (pen), 53,

Rodri 34

plays 90 minutes every game and, at Kamara 28

the end of the season, maybe he

decides he wants to stay or maybe

he wants more minutes and decides

to leave.

“Right now, I don’t care. We have

less than one month, seven, hopefully

eight, games left and that’s all I’m

concerned about.”

More importantly for Guardiola,

Jesus’s endeavours yesterday helped

City to easily negotiate another league

game in their attempt to hold on to the

title, while avoiding potential injury

Star man Gabriel Jesus (Man City)

Substitutes: Manchester City I Gundogan (for

De Bruyne 56min, 7), R Mahrez (for Rodri 70, 6).

Watford C Cathcart (for Samir 68, 5), J Pedro

(for Sarr 68, 5), E Kayembe (for Louza 75).

Referee K Friend.

Attendance 53,013.

Foster

6

Samir

5

Ngakjia

5

Kamara

5

Dennis

5

Sarr

5

Kabasele

5

Louza

7

Cleverley

5

Sissoko

8

King

6

4-3-3

Ederson

5

Dias

7

Zinchenko

7

Cancelo

7

De Bruyne

8

Sterling

6

Jesus

10

Grealish

7

Laporte

6

Rodri

7

Fernandinho

6

4-2-1-3