Gabriel Jesus breaks silence on altercation with Brazil teammate Ederson during Arsenal's 1-0 win over Man City
Brazil teammates Gabriel Jesus and Ederson were caught in a brief on-field altercation during Arsenal's hard-fought 1-0 Premier League victory against Manchester City on Sunday, October 8.
The incident raised questions about the relationship between the two players as they prepared to join forces for international duty. However, Gabriel Jesus has now clarified that there are no lingering issues between him and Ederson.
During stoppage time of the game, Gabriel Jesus, to waste precious seconds, held onto the ball near the corner flag but was ultimately fouled. As he continued to dribble the ball afterward, Ederson arrived on the scene and forcefully shoved his compatriot to the ground. Both players received bookings, with Jesus penalized for timewasting and Ederson for the aggressive push.
Addressing the incident at a press conference in Brazil, Gabriel Jesus sought to clarify the situation. He said (via Evening Standard):
"I have a good relationship, not just with Ederson. But on the pitch, it's normal. Ederson and I spent a lot of time together at City, and we were very happy. He knows how fond I am of him, and I also know how fond he is of me."
He added:
"But on the pitch, he defends his team, and I defend mine. It was a moment when we were winning, and it's not easy to beat them. We were winning, and I held the ball there. Anyway, he ended up giving me a push, but afterwards everything was normal. We came together talking. That's it."
Courtesy of the win against the defending champions, Arsenal has moved to the second spot in the Premier League table, only behind Tottenham Hotspur. Meanwhile, Manchester City have dropped to the third spot with two defeats in eight EPL games.
Gary Neville casts doubt on Tottenham Hotspur's title prospects, backs Arsenal and Manchester City
Former Manchester United star and football pundit Gary Neville has cast doubt on Tottenham's ability to maintain their momentum and win the Premier League title.
Sitting at the summit of the league table with 20 points from eight games, Tottenham share the position with arch-rivals Arsenal. However, Neville is skeptical about Spurs' ability to maintain their lead, citing concerns about their squad depth in the face of competition from teams like Arsenal and Manchester City.
Neville stated (via Football Insider):
"I don't think Tottenham can sustain it over a 38-game season. I think their squad will get found out in the end."
Arsenal led the 2022-23 Premier League title race for most of the season, but Pep Guardiola's Manchester City stepped up in the latter part to win and complete their treble.