‘I’d be surprised’ - Paul Merson makes concerning Arsenal claim amid Gabriel Jesus injury blow

Paul Merson has doubts over whether Arsenal can survive at the top of the Premier League without star striker Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus has played a central role in Arsenal’s success so far this season, assisting six and scoring five after arriving from Manchester City on a £50million deal during the summer. But he now faces around three months on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery, with a reccuring issue worsening during his World Cup participation with Brazil.

That’s a big problem for Arsenal, who only have Eddie Nketiah as a straightforward alternative, while Gabriel Martinelli can play more centrally. The Gunners could move to sign a striker in the January window, but with Jesus to come back down the line, it would not be a straightforward investment by any means.

In the meantime, Arsenal must navigate a busy festive schedule without Jesus, and former star Merson is concerned about his former club.

When asked if Arsenal can cope without their star striker on Sky Sports News, Merson replied: “I hope they do, but I‘d be shocked if they did. This lad is everything to Arsenal in my opinion, and no disrespect to the other players, because they have top players. But he just gels everything together. He takes you up tthe pitch, holds the ball up, gives the centre-halves a chance to get up to the halfway line.

“He has had more touches in the box than any other player in the Premier League this season by a country mile. That tells you everything about him. I’m a massive fan. I like Nketiah, don’t get me wrong. He might be able to do it for one or two games, I don’t see him being able to do it for three months, and that’s where the problem stars. Time will tell, if there’s any time you’ve gotta find out, it’s the Christmas spell where you have three games in a few days. I think the lad (Jesus) is top drawer.”