Arsenal suffer huge injury scare before Liverpool FA Cup third round

Arsenal have been rocked after Gabriel Jesus suffered another knee injury ahead of their FA Cup third-round tie with Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Brazil international Jesus has been a key performer since signing for Mikel Arteta's side from Manchester City in 2022, contributing 11 goals and six assists in the Premier League last season.

However, he has struggled for fitness over the last two years, with an injury sustained at the 2022 World Cup resulting in the 26-year-old missing a considerable chunk of the 2022/23 campaign.

Knee and hamstring issues have seen Jesus miss games so far this term and the Daily Mail claim the former injury has struck again, though Arsenal hope it will not be a long-term problem.

Eddie Nketiah is the natural replacement up front if the Brazilian isn't fit to face Liverpool on Sunday, with the Gunners looking to end a run of three games without a victory. The 24-year-old has netted six times in 26 appearances so far this season, while Leandro Trossard has also played through the middle on occasion.

It was Nketiah who started Arsenal's most recent outing, a 2-1 defeat at Fulham on New Year's Eve where Jesus entered the action as a 67th-minute substitute.

Arsenal are already without midfielders Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira and defender Jurrien Timber due to injury, while Oleksandr Zinchenko may not be fit in time for the Reds' visit to the Emirates Stadium. Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny are also away on international duty.

The north London giants won the FA Cup under Arteta back in 2020 but haven't progressed past the fourth round since, suffering 1-0 losses to Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Man City in their last three games in the tournament.

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