Gabriel Jesus thanked head coach Mikel Arteta for making him a focal point in his team, revealing that the atmosphere at Manchester City was different.
Arsenal leads the Premier League after winning six of their last seven games. Jesus, in particular, has four goals and three assists. His performances for the club have earned him praise from both pundits and fans.
Arsenal will look to extend their lead at the top when they face Tottenham Hotspur.
Jesus revealed the difference between Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola in an interview with ESPN Brasil, as well as why he’s happy at Arsenal:
“The thing was the way [Guardiola] understands football and what he wanted. Then it was up to you to accept it or not. If you don’t accept it, ‘thank you’ and let’s go for another challenge.”
“I accepted it for a while, but there came a moment when I said, ‘I want another thing for myself’. I thanked him, he understood, and we moved on.”
“It is different here at Arsenal. The football is different – different players, different ways to play. At City, it was different. The striker didn’t touch the ball that much, you see this by watching the games.”
“And, when it was time to touch the ball, it was not the striker, because [Guardiola] ended up putting a midfielder to come closer.”
“OK, fine. So, I decided to change.‘I talked a lot with Arteta about Arsenal’s style. He knows me, I know him, I understood what he wanted from me. Now, I’m free on the pitch, playing football with a smile on my face and trying to do my best all the time.”