Micah Richards believes Arsenal need to sign another forward as Mikel Arteta will be getting ‘frustrated’ with Gabriel Jesus’ lack of impact.
Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw with title rivals Liverpool on Sunday, a result that leaves them third in the table, five points off leaders Manchester City.
It was a positive result for the Gunners who were without a number of key players including the suspended William Saliba and injured captain Martin Odegaard.
Their defensive depth has certainly taken a battering, with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori also sidelined, while both Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber hobbled off injured during the match against the Reds.
Nevertheless, Richards said he was impressed by how Arteta and his team coped with the injury issues at the back but expressed concern that a lack of quality options up top might derail their title ambitions.
Speaking on The Rest is Football, the former City defender said: ‘It’s how adaptable Arsenal are. You see [Thomas] Partey playing right-back, Timber playing left-back.
‘Without key players they still managed to find a way. If they want a low block, if they want to counter-attack and still cause problems.
‘People question their mentality in terms of how they want to play but I always give a manager credit if they’re able to adapt to what the game needs and Arteta did that really well.
‘I think it’s just frustrating for him [Arteta], you bring in Jesus as this striker, winger, forward whatever you want to call him and he’s not contributing enough in terms of goal threat.
‘Maybe another forward [needs to be signed] just to help him out, relieve some of that pressure on [Kai] Havertz.’
Arteta signed Jesus from City in 2022 for £45million but injury issues have impacted the Brazilian’s form, recording 19 goals and 15 assists in 80 games.
This season, he has so far failed to register a goal or assist in 11 appearances, four of them starts, and has mostly been relegated to late cameos off the bench with Havertz firmly ahead in the pecking order.
The German has made the centre-forward position his own with six goals and an assist in 13 games so far this campaign, but should anything happen to him Arteta only has the struggling Jesus or wingers Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli to turn to.
Jesus will be hoping to end his goal drought in Arsenal’s next game against Preston in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
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