Oleksandr Zinchenko has paid tribute to the’special’ Gabriel Jesus, claiming the Arsenal striker was the best player in Manchester City training
Jesus played for Manchester City for five years, scoring 95 goals in 236 appearances and helping the club win four Premier League titles and four domestic cups.
The Brazilian completed a £45 million move to Arsenal last summer and has continued to impress despite a knee injury sustained during the Qatar World Cup.
Jesus returned to action last month after a lengthy injury layoff, scoring his first club goals since October in last weekend’s 4-1 win over Leeds United.
Zinchenko, a former Manchester City defender, followed Jesus to the Emirates Stadium last summer and has heaped praise on the 26-year-old, describing him as’special’ and a ‘animal’ in training.
‘On and off the field, he is a special person,’ Zinchenko told Sky Sports. ‘He’s taught me a lot of things.
‘He is an excellent example of how hard you must work every day with the right attitude. Some of the guys may only give 50% in training exercises. Him? He’s a beast.
‘Football can be frustrating at times, but his reaction to these situations is incredible. I was watching him at Manchester City and thought, wow!
‘He was always the best on the field in training. He has an incredible talent. I know he worked extremely hard to recover from his injury, so it’s a pleasure to have him as a teammate.’
Jesus and Zinchenko have helped Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points with nine games remaining.
Arsenal’s Premier League title defense continues on Sunday with a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool, and Zinchenko is wary of Jurgen Klopp’s side despite their struggles this season.
While Arsenal is vying for their first Premier League title since 2004, Liverpool has dropped to eighth place, just a year after attempting a historic quadruple.
‘Everyone understands how dangerous Liverpool are,’ said Zinchenko. ‘It’s an incredible team, no matter where they are on the table.
‘Every game against Liverpool, especially at Anfield, is huge. This is a unique place where you never know what will happen.’
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