Why Gabriel Jesus did not play for Arsenal against Liverpool

"Big games are for big players," Mikel Arteta said earlier this season. Yet, for the second time in less than a month, the player that Arsenal's manager never passes up an opportunity to praise is not fit enough to feature against the Premier League leaders.

Gabriel Jesus was hailed as a figure that "changed our world" by Arteta in October yet has struggled for fitness throughout his Arsenal career. Since joining the Gunners in the summer of 2022, Jesus has only played in 51% of the available minutes.

After sitting out the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup third round last month with a knee injury, Jesus was once again unavailable when the Reds rocked up at the Emirates for a crucial Premier League contest on Sunday afternoon.

Here's why Arsenal had to take to the pitch without Jesus.

Why wasn't Gabriel Jesus playing for Arsenal against Liverpool?

The Brazilian number nine was in fine form against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, smuggling the ball between Matt Turner's open legs to break the deadlock in a tight contest which Arsenal went on to win 2-1.

Jesus travelled with Arsenal for the league meeting with Liverpool five days later, pictured walking around the stadium in club attire, but wasn't included in the matchday squad.

"Unfortunately, he had a setback in training and wasn't fit to play," Arteta told Sky Sports ahead of kick-off. When pushed on whether the same problematic knee was bothering Jesus, the tight-lipped manager offered: "Yes, it's something relating to that. Unfortunately, he's not fit."

The Arsenal boss was optimistic that Jesus hadn't sustained any serious damage. "Hopefully not [long term]. I think it's a short-term thing but the game was too fast [soon] for him."

Intriguingly, Arteta did not turn to Eddie Nketiah, Arsenal's only other natural centre-forward, to replace Jesus. Instead, the Spaniard lined up with Kai Havertz through the middle - just as he had when Arsenal lost to Liverpool in the FA Cup.

The Gunners created a glut of chances in that tie, rattling off the most shots Liverpool had conceded with 11 players on the pitch all season. Havertz was responsible for a game-high six efforts that day but failed to find the net - or imbue any sense of confidence - with any of his attempts.

Jesus is hardly the Premier League's most predatory striker and even admitted that scoring goals is not his "strong suit" earlier this season.

Liverpool had injury doubts over their own misfiring striker in the form of Darwin Nunez. Jurgen Klopp revealed that the trigger-happy centre-forward left Anfield in a boot after Liverpool's 4-1 thumping of Chelsea in midweek. Yet, Nunez was deemed fit enough to make the bench on Sunday while Cody Gakpo took his place in the front line.

The scarcely spotted midfielder Thiago Alcantara sat alongside Nunez among the substitutes. It was the first time Thiago had featured in a Premier League squad since April.

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