Gabriel Jesus to miss rest of the World Cup with knee injury

Gabriel Jesus will play no further part in the 2022 World Cup and is set to be ruled out of action until January after picking up a knee injury in Brazil’s 1-0 defeat to Cameroon on Friday evening. 

Tite gifted the Arsenal striker his first start of the tournament on Matchday 3 after coming off the bench in Brazil’s opening two encounters. However, Jesus struggled to perform as he was hauled off just after the hour.

After Brazil’s defeat, reports surfaced that the striker felt pain in his knee during the game but played through the pain. He underwent a scan on Saturday, and the news isn’t good for Arsenal supporters.

Gabriel Jesus to miss rest of the World Cup with knee injury

Fabrizio Romano reports that “sources close to Brazil and the player” have confirmed that Jesus will miss the rest of the World Cup as a result of his knee injury. The striker’s also set to miss Arsenal’s first couple of fixtures after the Premier League returns on Boxing Day.

Thus, it’s likely that Jesus will be absent for the Gunners’ games against West Ham and Brighton to round off 2022. Supporters, meanwhile, will be desperate to have their number nine back for a tricky set of January fixtures.

The Brazilian, despite enduring a prolonged goal drought, has had a transformative impact on Mikel Arteta’s side since he joined from Manchester City in the summer. Jesus started all 14 of Arsenal’s Premier League games before the World Cup, with the Gunners five points clear at the top off the back of his stellar performances.

Should Jesus miss time, Eddie Nketiah will be entrusted to fill the Brazilian’s shoes. It’s been a disappointing campaign thus far for Eddie, but he showed at the end of last season that he has the quality to fulfil the centre-forward function in Arteta’s system.

Nketiah is yet to start a Premier League game this season, with all three of his goals arriving either in the Europa League or the Carabao Cup.