Ex-England striker Alan Shearer has expressed concern over Gabriel Jesus’s lack of scoring in Arsenal’s recent Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk, noting that the forward will likely feel frustrated after failing to end his goal drought.
Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory at home, courtesy of an own goal from Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk. The Gunners dominated the early stages of the match, with Gabriel Martinelli striking the post before Riznyk inadvertently redirected the ball into his own net.
Despite taking an early lead, Arsenal struggled to maintain momentum and faced considerable pressure from Shakhtar as the match progressed. The Gunners, who recently suffered a setback against Bournemouth, were unable to capitalize on several chances, culminating in a missed penalty by Leandro Trossard late in the game.
Shearer highlighted Jesus’s performance, stating, “He had a couple of really good chances. He will be frustrated this evening because he’s been given the opportunity, and they created opportunities. Two of them fell to him, and he failed to put them away.” Jesus was substituted with 25 minutes remaining, replaced by Raheem Sterling, as he continues to search for his first goal in 23 matches.
Despite the performance being less than stellar, Shearer acknowledged the positive aspects of the result, saying, “Looking at the big picture, two wins and a draw is a positive start to their Champions League campaign. They’ve taken the points, and in the grand scheme of things, that’s all that matters.”
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton also echoed Shearer’s views, noting that Shakhtar provided a significant challenge, particularly with their confidence growing as Arsenal missed chances. Sutton praised a crucial save from David Raya at the end of the match, emphasizing that Arsenal had plenty of opportunities to secure a more comfortable win.
As Arsenal prepares for their upcoming Premier League clash against early leaders Liverpool, they will be looking to improve their finishing and support their forward players, especially with the pressure mounting on Gabriel Jesus to deliver.