Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has revealed that ‘it’s no time to blame’ individuals as his side were once more pegged back from 2-0 up to draw away from home, and see their Premier League lead cut.
The Gunners were 2-0 up and cruising against West Ham, only to gift the hosts a penalty and a route back into the game. From there, they lost all control, and after missing a penalty of their own, Jarrod Bowen provided the equaliser and a hammer blow to Arsenal’s title hopes.
Following the game, striker Gabriel Jesus called on his teammates to raise the level, but warned that blaming individuals was futile.
“Once again, the three points were in our hands,” Jesus told Arsenal’s official club website. “Obviously the game is 90 minutes, it’s not 20, in this case, today, 30 minutes. As a team, we have to raise the level and come back to our principles.
“We know our strength, we know what we can do. Where we want to attack the opponent, in the first 10 to 20 minutes we did so good. After that we dropped our level and that obviously cannot happen if you want to fight for the title.
“It started from like 5 or 10 minutes before the penalty, because exactly after we scored the second goal we stopped. As a team, it’s no time to blame, as a team we have to raise the level again and come back to our principles and win the games. That’s the only way we can arrive next month and then fight for the title again.”
The Englishman sent his spot kick wide, and three minutes later, the Hammers had equalised to cost Arsenal a vital three points in the title race.
SAKA MISSES THE PENALTY! ❌ pic.twitter.com/BPhUevH4NT
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 16, 2023
“Regardless of the outcome, I’ll always accept my responsibility”, he wrote on Instragram. “Apologies Gunners, I’ll do everything I can to make it right.”
Arsenal face Southampton on Friday night, looking to move seven points clear of Manchester City before the two sides lock horn at the Etihad in nine days time in what is shaping up to be a winner-takes-all clash for the Premier League title.
