The return of Gabriel Jesus from a long-term injury has presented Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with a significant and welcome selection headache as the Gunners push for the Premier League title. With four senior forwards now available, Arteta's challenge is to pick the right striker at the right time.
A Crowded Attack Presents New Problems
Arteta now has a quartet of forwards signed across four consecutive summers to choose from. The most recent, Viktor Gyokeres, arrived for £54 million in the summer of 2025 but has struggled to consistently justify his fee. Despite scoring six Premier League goals, his overall play has often lacked the cutting edge required, with his penalty in the recent 2-1 win over Everton highlighting a mixed performance.
This contrasts sharply with the impact of Jesus, who made his 100th Arsenal appearance on Tuesday 23 December 2025. In a 30-minute cameo against Everton, the Brazilian demonstrated his superior link-up play and understanding with teammates, reminding everyone of the qualities that made his initial £45 million move from Manchester City in 2022 so transformative.
The Returning Brazilian and the German Wildcard
"That’s probably the biggest quality of Gabi, bringing people together," Arteta said, praising Jesus's ability to "generate a lot of uncertainty in the opponent." His return to full fitness, after a near year-long layoff, offers a tactical alternative to the more physical presence of Gyokeres.
Complicating matters further is the impending return of Kai Havertz. The German, who has played just half an hour this season due to injury, is believed by many to be Arteta's preferred choice for the biggest matches. His absence earlier in the campaign saw midfielder Mikel Merino deputise impressively up front, showcasing a natural goalscoring instinct that makes him a genuine option.
This leaves Arteta with a nuanced choice between Jesus's creativity, Havertz's all-round game, Merino's finishing, and Gyokeres, whose signing was meant to solve the centre-forward issue.
Selection Key to Arsenal's Title Ambitions
The Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace offers a potential platform for Jesus, who has a superb record against them, including a League Cup hat-trick. A strong performance there would intensify the dilemma for Premier League fixtures.
With the Premier League title at stake, Arteta's model of building a complete squad is being tested. He has never before been able to select from all four of his striking options. The manager's ability to correctly rotate and deploy Jesus, Havertz, Gyokeres, and Merino based on opposition and form could prove decisive in the final reckoning. While Gyokeres may not be the prolific saviour some hoped for, Arsenal's strength may now lie in the depth and variety of their attacking choices.
