Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus issues injury return verdict as Mikel Arteta explains Viktor Gyokeres difference

Gunners now have more competition for places in attack and are still to welcome Kai Havertz back from injury

Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has said he feels “more than ready” after returning to first team action against Club Brugge .

After 11 months out of action following knee surgery, Jesus came off the bench to play the final 30 minutes on Wednesday night as the Gunners cruised to a 3-0 win in the Champions League .

The Brazilian, perhaps should have marked his comeback with a goal, but delivered an encouraging performance on what was his first competitive outing in nearly a year.

Jesus could not stop smiling after the final whistle and, speaking to the media following the Champions League tie, he put his recovery down to his faith.

“First of all, I want to say thank you to God,” he said. “If it was not for God, I'm 100 per cent sure I would not be here with this mentality, with this health, with this belief.

“In the first three months, I had a lot of doubts in my head, and then I could be more focused on what God wants from me.

“Everyone was expecting me to score and obviously, I wanted to score.

“I had some opportunities, but even with that, I'm so happy and so pleased, because to come back and then to have some touches that I had tonight, and then the way I could move, the way I could keep the ball.

“So with 11 months of helping myself and then feeling scared to come back different, maybe with some limitations, just to walk outside and then play with the boys, I'm so pleased. I feel more than ready.

“So, I'm here to say God saved my life.”

Back in action: Gabriel Jesus

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While Jesus made his return as a replacement for Viktor Gyokeres , who had a quiet night in Bruges, Mikel Arteta has hinted at using the pair as a strike partnership in the future.

“Yeah, I think they're kind of a bit more different, you know,” the Arsenal manager said in the post-match press conference. “Both of them with great qualities, but yeah, very specific in what they bring to the team and individually in their actions and relationships that they meet around them as well.

“So, it's good to have two very different players.”