Gabriel Jesus has vowed to make scoring goals his priority after inspiring Arsenal to a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest.
The Brazil forward, who shook off a knee injury to play in the game, opened the scoring in the 65th minute and then laid on a second for Bukayo Saka seven minutes later.
Jesus has had questions asked of him after scoring 19 goals in 56 games in all competitions since his £45million move from Manchester City in summer 2022, but he has been a creative force, registering 12 assists in that time.
The 26-year-old, who has scored 73 Premier League goals in total, now wants to concentrate on adding to that tally.
“Sometimes it is all about stats and sometimes it is all about watching the game,” he said. “Let’s go, come on.
“If you watch the game, you see me playing… I am close to 100 in the Premier League – that’s not easy.
“Then in the Champions League I am scoring a lot, in the national team I score. Sometimes, like I say, I am not focused on that (scoring goals) and that’s I think my mistake.
“So now, I think I change my mindset and I will be in the box more – and I try everything to score.”
Jesus is also working on keeping positive after missing chances – something he did at the City Ground as he scored moments after hitting the post.
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“Also I am changing my mindset, I think I am more focused on the game now,” he said. “Before, when I miss one or two chances (I may have got disheartened)… I think that was not the case today.
“I think I created and my team gave me the ball – it was amazing – and I hit the post. I think it was more unlucky than a miss, but I keep trying.
“A minute after, I create another one and I miss the time to shoot, but I keep working, I keep trying, I keep focused on the game.
“I try to find another way to score and it worked. Sometimes it is all about this. Keep trying and then it works.”
Jesus earned the praise of boss Mikel Arteta for his desire to play in the game despite a knee problem.
“Gabi started to win the game two days ago,” the Spaniard said. “He had an issue with his knee and everyone was trying to protect him and saying don’t go outside.
“But he was saying (matchday) -2, (matchday) -1, I want to be there I want to help the team to win the game. When you have that mentality, good things are going to happen. I’m really pleased with him.
“He got hit big time in the last game. His knee reacted and it’s the knee he had (surgery on) before. He was super positive, he’s feeling good and he was so sharp in training. I’m not surprised with the way he played.”
Forest grabbed a late consolation through Taiwo Awoniyi on his first appearance since November following groin surgery, the Nigeria striker having been introduced as a half-time replacement for the injured Chris Wood.
“His hamstring felt very tight,” head coach Nuno Espirito Santo said of the New Zealand international. “There was a big risk of injury. He was not feeling OK to continue, so that’s why we made the change.”
Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure
Ryan Sessegnon has resigned for Fulham on a free transfer, five years after leaving the club.
The 24-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Cottagers with the option to extend for a further year following his departure from Tottenham last month.
In his first spell at the club, Sessegnon worked his way through the academy over 11 years, scoring 25 goals in 120 first-team appearances.
He then moved to Spurs in a £25million deal in 2019, though struggled to nail down a place in North London, making just 57 appearances in all competitions, and scoring three goals.
"It's amazing to be back. Emotional, as well," he told FFCtv. "It's where it started for me, where everything began, and it's amazing to be back.
"It will always be home for me. I think it had the feeling that it was meant to be, coming back here, so I'm delighted to get it done."
Sessegnon is Fulham's first signing of the transfer window, though they have seen plenty of first-team departures already, with Joao Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova-Reid all leaving the club.
Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will "surprise a lot of people" when they watch the Blues this season.
The Italian led Leicester City straight back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his only season in charge and succeeds Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
The Foxes topped the second division table with 98 points, with Dewsbury-Hall a key figure in his squad as he netted 12 goals and provided 14 assists last season – his best tally in a single campaign.
Dewsbury-Hall was also named Leicester's Player and Players' Player of the Year.
The midfielder made the switch to West London earlier this month for £30million and is confident that Maresca will have Chelsea challenging for trophies in no time.
"The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come," Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.
"I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that if everyone manages to buy into the system.
"I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four - but more than that.
"He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people."
Chelsea's pre-season got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham in Maresca's first game in charge on Wednesday.
Dewsbury-Hall did not play in that match but is training with the squad in the United States and could feature in their next outing against Celtic on Saturday.
The 25-year-old is confident the manager's tactics will come across soon, with the players buying into his style.
"We've only been doing it for two or three weeks, but the combination plays are really quick and tidy," he added.
"That's after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start, but it will improve.
"Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid; I thought I knew a lot about football, but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn't really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft - he has both sides.
"I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They've bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy, you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something."
Ederson slams reports of rift with Man City backup Ortega
Ederson has hit out at reports of a rift between himself and fellow Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
The Brazilian was substituted after suffering a fractured eye socket in City's penultimate game of the Premier League season, a vital 1-0 win over Tottenham.
Ortega replaced him and made a brilliant save to deny Son Heung-min as City maintained their slender lead over Arsenal at the top of the table, sealing an unprecedented fourth straight title by beating West Ham five days later.
Ortega was widely lauded for his role in that triumph, and an article published by The Athletic this week suggested Ederson took issue with that praise.
However, the goalkeeper – who missed the Copa America as a result of his injury – has now moved to shut down those suggestions with a post to his Instagram story.
"I would like to clarify that the note published by The Athletic yesterday, referring to my alleged dissatisfaction with a co-worker, is completely false," he wrote.
"The alleged day reported was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult days of my career, when I suffered a fracture that prevented me from playing in the final stretch of the season and, consequently, from representing my country in the Copa America.
"At the time of the injury, my only thought was to continue in the match, defending City in the fight for the title.
"But the emotion of the match would be greater than the reality and, inevitably, I would not be able to continue as I would have liked due to the damage it caused, completely blocking my field of vision. I remain focused on preparing for the season."
Ederson has been linked with a transfer in recent days, reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.
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