Gary Neville Extremely Impressed With Arsenal Star In 2-0 Win Over Crystal Palace In Premier League Opener
Aug 6, 2022 at 3:12 PM
Arsenal started the new season on the right note, winning 2-0 away to Crystal Palace in their Premier League Opener. A Gabriel Martinelli strike and Matt Guehi own-goal was enough for the Gunners to shrug-off the disappointing memories from the start of the last season where they lost their opening game to Brentford.
Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, who was in the box for Sky Sports lavished praise on Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus in the post-match analysis. The former Manchester City striker joined the Gunners this summer and played in his debut game for them. Though the Brazilian failed to get on the score sheet, he did earn plaudits from Neville for his workrate.
Neville feels Jesus was ‘a level above’ for Arsenal against Palace
Arsenal forked out a fee close to £50 million after Jesus made himself available in the summer market. The City striker left Etihad after spending six seasons there, scoring a massive 95 goal across 233 games. Jesus took no time to settle at Arsenal as he fired 7 goals 4 games in the preseason. The 25-year-old continued to put in the work for the Gunners in his first Premier League for them.
Jesus racked put 49 touches, 6 dribbles completed and 10 duels won in 83 minutes against Palace. Talking about the same on Sky Sports, Neville said: “Arsenal were absolutely electric up front in the first five or 10 minutes. You were just thinking “wow”, watching Jesus.
“We saw glimpses of it at Manchester City but we watching him tonight and it was magical. The runs he was making were absolutely brilliant. Jesus just looked a level above.”
Former Liverpool center-back Jamie Carragher shared the same sentiment with fellow presenter Neville, stating: “Jesus was excellent, he really was. He was so sharp, he was just electric. He did one run and I just couldn’t believe it. I was so glad I wasn’t playing against him. He was sensational in that first half.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta handed out debuts to Oleksandr Zinchenko and William Saliba alongside Gabriel Jesus. While Zinchenko too was signed from City, Saliba returned from his loan spell at Marseille to join Arteta’s first-team plans. Arsenal displayed solid resistance in a buzzing Selhurst Park to earn a clean-sheet and three points.
Neville further commented on Arsenal’s win, saying: “I think Arsenal will be really pleased with that victory, especially after what happened in the first game last season [when they lost to Brentford].Crystal Palace threw everything at them but Arsenal withstood it. Arsenal’s defence stood up to it, the defenders did the job in the second half.”
The Gunners have enjoyed a brilliant start to the season and will now look to bring in more signings as confirmed by Arteta until the window closes on September 1. They return to Premier League action on next weekend against Leicester City.