Flying Eze and its trusted partners need your
permission to store and access cookies, unique identifiers, personal data, and information on your
browsing behaviour on this device. This only applies to Flying Eze. You don’t have to accept, and
you
can change your preferences at any time via the Privacy Options link at the bottom of this screen. If
you don’t accept, you may will still see some personalised ads and content.
Cookies, device identifiers, or other information can be stored or accessed on
your device for the purposes presented to you.
Ads and content can be personalised based on a profile. More data can be added
to better personalise ads and content. Ad and content performance can be
measured. Insights about audiences who saw the ads and content can be derived.
Data can be used to build or improve user experience, systems and software.
Precise geolocation and information about device characteristics can be used.
If you don’t want to accept, please select Read More option below where you can also see how and
why your data may be used. You can also see where we or our partners claim a legitimate interest and
object to the processing of your data.
There may be no rest for the wicked but even Jesus doesnât get a night off at the Emirates these days.
Gabriel Jesus might have played in all but one of Arsenalâs games this season but still has to answer the call of duty every three days.
News of the £45million strikerâs inclusion in Mikel Artetaâs starting line-up inevitably went down like a s*** sandwich with the Emirates fans who couldnât understand why he wasnât being wrapped in cotton wool for Sundayâs Premier League trip to Chelsea.
In the absence of captain Martin Odegaard and the suspended Granit Xhaka, at least he got to wear the armband for the first time.
He still wasnât able to end a goal drought which has now stretched to eight games after starting his Arsenal career like a house on fire.
But he couldnât be denied the satisfaction of leading his team-mates to the victory which guaranteed top spot in their group.
And more importantly it means they will now sit out the round of 32 when the likes of Barcelona, Juventus, Ajax and Sevilla will be dropping into the competition from the Champions League.
Artetaâs problem is convincing the sceptical supporters that the Europa League is a competition actually worth pursuing while all the talk centres around their surprise title challenge.
So he was understandably anxious to put this game to bed as quickly as possible so he could sub off his senior stars with Sundayâs game in mind.
He got his wish for an early breakthrough in the 17th minute when Kieran Tierney hammered an unstoppable shot into the far corner from the edge of the area after Fabio Vieiraâs initial shot had been charged down.
That was the Scotland starâs first goal of what has so far been a frustrating season, so it was little surprise that he celebrated it like a mad thing.
They should have been further ahead in the 31st minute when Eddie Nketiah was blatantly pulled back by his shirt in the area by Lindrit Kamberi.
But referee Erik Lambrechts did not even refer the incident to VAR before Vieiraâs follow-up shot was inadvertently blocked by Jesus in an offside position.
Nketiah had already tested the reflexes of keeper Yanick Brecher with a fierce shot from the edge of the area and was denied again when his powerful near post header drew another sharp save from the Zurich captain.
Considering that their team are currently bottom of the Swiss League and not even good enough to qualify for the Europa Conference League, the visiting supporters were remarkably chipper last night.
A thick smog of blue smoke shrouded the stadium after dozens of blue flares were released from the away end in direct contravention of yesterday’s edict prohibiting the use of pyrotechnics.
But all the fireworks were coming from Arsenal as they pushed on in search of a killer second goal.
It should have arrived two minutes after the half-time break when Tierneyâs free-kick dropped to Jesus right in front of goal.
But even though his shot brushed the arm of Brecher it was clearly going well over anyway.
It was to prove his last contribution to a disappointing night for the Brazilian before being replaced by Bukayo Saka for the final half hour.
Yet his departure only seemed to galvanise Zurich, who thought they had levelled in the 67th minute until Adrian Guerreroâs effort was ruled out for offside.
And with news of PSV Eindhoven winning away to Bodo/Glimt, Arsenalâs place at the top of Group A suddenly didnât look quite so secure.
They just about hung on for the victory but the way Artetaâs weary players are struggling to keep their foot on the gas for 90 minutes suggests that itâs not only Jesus who needs a breather.