Gabriel Jesus hopes his goals can help end Arsenal title drought

LONDON – Gabriel Jesus is determined to keep scoring as Arsenal look to finally end their more than 20-year wait for an English Premier League (EPL) title.

The Brazilian striker was on target again during a 3-1 comeback win away to Brentford on Jan 1, with the 27-year-old scoring his sixth goal in four games.

It was all a far cry from a previously woeful run of just one goal in 33 appearances for Jesus, a four-time Premier League winner with Manchester City.

Arsenal, who last won the title in 2004, will have the chance to cut table-toppers Liverpool’s lead to three points when they travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on Jan 4 – the day before Arne Slot’s side face Manchester United at Anfield.

But Liverpool also have a game in hand on the Gunners.

Jesus, though, believes his team have what it takes to go all the way to win.

“I just want to keep winning and scoring and helping the team, the club, and to be there always fighting for the title,” he told TNT Sports.

“I know it’s a long way. We have to look for ourselves and then obviously after, we want the top of the league (Liverpool) to drop points. But we have to look at ourselves and do our job like we did (against Brentford).”

Arsenal have finished runners-up to City for the past two seasons and start 2025 once again in second place.

“The previous two years were amazing,” added Jesus. “Obviously, we did not win, but we fought until the end. To play in this competition is already hard, to fight for the title, imagine.

“I’ve already been there (with City), but I can see this team is experienced now. We have amazing players, and I’m sure we can go there and fight for the title.

“But it’s still early, and we just need to keep trying to play well and win the games.”

Jesus cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s 13th-minute opener for Brentford before Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli scored for the Gunners early in the second half.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, set to be without the injured Bukayo Saka until March, said the form of Brazilian duo Jesus and Martinelli was encouraging as he looked ahead to the Brighton clash.

“We need the players up front to be firing and they have that feeling right now,” he said.

“They are so consistent, the way they behave, the way they train, and they want it. Goals are about moments and the feeling and energy that a player has and they are both in a good mood right now.”

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest are bidding to qualify for the Champions League as they lie in a surprising third place at the halfway stage of the Premier League.

Chris Wood is thriving on the responsibility of leading his team, as the New Zealand striker has already scored 11 league goals this season and will look to add to that tally in their visit to lowly Wolverhampton Wanderers on Jan 6.

Wood’s unexpected rise to prominence has been inspired by Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s decision to base his game plan around the burly 33-year-old target man.

“I feel like I’m playing well,” said Wood, who has netted 22 times in his last 34 league appearances. “I’m in a team that’s very suited to my style of play, or a No. 9 style of play.”

Thanks to his goal spree, Forest are in contention to reach the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.

Tottenham Hotspur kick off the weekend with a home game against high-flying Newcastle United, who have won their last four games to move up to fifth – behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who travel to Crystal Palace.

Spurs are in a fix themselves in 11th place, with several players unavailable either through injury or suspension and they will have their hands full dealing with Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, who has scored eight goals in his last six games. AFP, REUTERS