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Arsenal supporters have expressed elation upon seeing Gabriel Jesus back in the starting lineup for their encounter against Leeds United at Elland Road in the Premier League.
The Gunners secured a Europa League triumph over Bodo/Glimt in midweek, in which Arteta made seven changes from their victory over Liverpool. Mikel Arteta has now reverted back to the same starting lineup that was involved in the brilliant 3-2 win over the Reds, with Jesus featuring up front once again.
The 25-year-old has arguably been the catalyst behind Arsenal's sensational start to the season, in which they have won eight of their nine Premier League encounters. Since his summer move from Manchester City, Jesus has scored five times and provided four assists, as Arteta has finally found a reliable number nine.
Arsenal's confidence will be sky high currently and are the strong favorites to see off Leeds, having not lost at Elland Road since 2000. The Yorkshire club have a shaky defensive record this term and Jesus is expected to add to his goal tally.
Ahead of kickoff, Gunners supporters took to Twitter to express their excitement at seeing Jesus back in the starting XI:
Granit Xhaka has his say on whether Arsenal can challenge for the Premier League title
Optimism is incredibly high at the Emirates Stadium right now and Xhaka believes his team could produce a 'special year' under Mikel Arteta. The midfielder's turnaround at Arsenal has been an incredible story, as he has gone from being stripped of the club's captaincy to being a fan favorite.
The Switzerland international told The Daily Mail:
“It can be a special year. If we keep going like we are working at the moment, we can get something big.”
Xhaka was also asked if he felt the Gunners could win the Premier League this term, to which he replied:
“Of course. We have to believe in ourselves. If not, why are we playing?”
The midfielder further stated that they have already proved their mettle by beating top teams this season:
“What I hear from people outside, they are saying we are not ready to beat the top six. But we did it twice now. We lost at Manchester United, where we were the better team. We need to give credit and respect to Man City [and] what they did the last couple of years. You need the perfect day to beat them. But I think we are ready to have this fight against them.”
