Arsenal ace Gabriel Jesus ready to meet Arteta’s 70-games-a-season challenge

Arsenal ace Gabriel Jesus says he’s ready to meet manager Mikel Arteta’s 70-games-a-season challenge.

Arsenal boss Arteta said last week that players must be able to survive gruelling campaigns if they want to be the best, claiming: “The top players in the world, they play 70 matches, every three days and make the difference.”

Gabriel Jesus has never started more than 22 Premier League games in a single season.

Ahead of Arsenal’s Europa League clash with PSV Eindhoven on Thursday, he insisted that would not tire him out.

“Of course not,” Gabriel Jesus said. “I’m doing good recovery after the games – eating better, sleeping better, enjoying the life in the Arsenal shirt a lot. So I’m ready to play 50, 60, 70 games.”

Gabriel Jesus has not scored in five appearances but the forward is not concerned by his form.

“That’s happened before and I’m pretty sure in the future it’s going to happen again,” the 25-year-old said. “That’s football. I don’t want it to be like this, of course. I want to improve, I want to work, like always in my life and then next game, I try again. And I’m 100 per cent sure I will score.”

Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are helping share the load and Jesus was full of praise for his wingers.

“They are machines. I joke with them: I think I am a player with a lot of energy and I run all the time, I fight all the time. But when I train every day with them I realise I am not even close to them. They just don’t stop,” he said.

“They are machines, quality players as well. And they’re still young, both 21. I am lucky to play with them.”