Gary Neville admits he ‘would’ve loved to play’ with Gabriel Jesus (Picture: Sky/Getty)
Gary Neville says Gabriel Jesus reminds him of Manchester United icons Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez but also feels the Arsenal star needs to improve.
Jesus has registered just three goals and one assist across 13 Premier League games for the Gunners so far this season.
Speaking after Arsenal secured a point at Liverpool on Saturday, Neville insists he ‘loves’ Brazil international Jesus but believes he ‘hasn’t got that instinct in front of goal’ and that ‘sometimes he is everywhere where you don’t want him’.
Neville also thinks that Jesus is failing to link up well with fellow front-three players Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
‘I don’t see Jesus, Martinelli and Saka linking up,’ Neville said on his podcast. ‘When Saka is trying to cross to the back post, he is smashing it across.
‘I don’t see Martinelli charging in at the back post. There’s quite a lot to work on. I’ve found myself talking at the end of many Arsenal games this season about whether Jesus and [Eddie] Nketiah are No.1 and No.2 strikers in a Premier League title winning side, or if they are actually No.2 and No.3 strikers.
‘I love Jesus. I really love him, honestly. I think he’s a brilliant player and I would have loved to play with him. He’s got a bit of Wayne Rooney in him, a bit of Carlos Tevez in him.
Gabriel Jesus has scored three goals in 13 Premier League games this term (Picture: Getty)
‘But he hasn’t got that instinct in front of goal. Sometimes, he is everywhere where you don’t want him.
‘Tevez would run around everywhere, sometimes Rooney would disappear and be out on the left wing, but you did have Cristiano Ronaldo up there who would be prolific.
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‘Rooney was prolific as well, but I am just thinking about those great front threes.
‘These three [at Arsenal], not even just in goals, they don’t combine a lot together within games to play. I feel that will cost them at some point.’
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