Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted there are significant concerns about Gabriel Jesus after the forward was stretchered off during Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Manchester United.

Jesus started the game on the right flank following a number of recent in-form games filling in for Kai Havertz in the ‘number nine’ role. But the Brazilian had to be withdrawn before half-time following a collision with Bruno Fernandes and an awkward fall that left him in considerable discomfort.

“Big worry. That’s my feeling,” Arteta reflected afterwards.

“He had to come off on a stretcher with a lot of pain. Touching his knee, it’s not looking good.”

The silver lining for Arsenal at this stage is that it doesn’t seem to be a repeat of the problem that Jesus suffered at the 2022 World Cup, which ruled him out for the best part of four months.

“I think it’s the other [knee]. The worrying factor is the feeling that he had. He had to come off and the pain that he was in,” Arteta explained.

There were already clamours from supporters for Arsenal to strengthen with a new forward during the January transfer window, which have only increased after Jesus’ injury. Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri are already ruled out with muscle issues, while Jesus had scored six times in his last seven appearances. The Gunners have lacked a real central striker for some time anyway.

Arteta played down the situation, again insisting that he continues to trust and focus on the players that he still has at his disposal and stressing that he is not in control of potential recruitment.

“I mean, we miss from various ways, from different plays. And I understand that, but I cannot love our players more. And I focus very much on the ones that we have to perform at the highest level. That’s it. The rest is not in our hands, in my hands,” he said.

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