Gabriel Jesus has highlighted one of the main differences between Manchester City and Arsenal last season but has promised things will be different this year.
Jesus swapped City for Arsenal last summer in a £45m deal, and for a while it looked like he was going to become a Premier League champion for a fifth time.
The Brazilian attacker won four league titles with City between 2017 and 2022, but decided to join the Gunners in search of more regular minutes in his preferred striking role.
Despite missing two months of the season Jesus’ decision looked to have paid off, as by mid-January Arsenal led City in the title race by eight points.
However, the Gunners formed nose-dived in the final months of the season and City managed to secure a third consecutive league crown.
Jesus explains title collapse
City were brilliant during the title run-in, but the fact that Arsenal threw away what was firmly in their hands cannot be overlooked.
Jesus has admitted as much, explaining that Arsenal’s lack of title race experience counted against them.
“I believe sometimes at the end [of the season], we were a little nervous,” Jesus said ahead of Arsenal’s friendly against Barcelona in Los Angeles.
“City were not nervous as normally they win so that made a difference. This season we have experience of this and it’ll be different.”
MCN view: Jesus has a point, but that’s not the only reason
‘Experience’ is a funny concept in football.
When Arsenal took 50 points from their opening 19 games, the narrative was that a lack of title-winning experience didn’t matter.
When their form dipped and City raced ahead, the accepted explanation was that Arsenal lacked the composure and know-how of their rivals.
Arsenal’s collapse may well have had something to do with nerves, but it doesn’t explain why City were able to beat them both home and away.
That said, with the disappointment of last season still fresh in the memory, Mikel Arteta’s side may now feel better equipped to replace City on the throne.
