What Gabriel Jesus did to Arsenal wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri should send a firm warning to Man City

Arsenal sent a lot of messages to the Premier League with their dominant 1-0 win over Tottenham in the North London derby.

It was another successful shift for Mikel Arteta’s side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as the Gunners won their third consecutive duel at the ground.

Despite finishing 23 points above their North London neighbours last season, Arsenal travelled to Spurs feeling like underdogs due to the key absences in Arteta’s squad.

Instead, the visitors emerged victorious with a dominant 1-0 win, with Gabriel Magalhaes’ header the match winner after putting up a stellar battle with a weakened side.

What Gabriel Jesus said to Ethan Nwaneri during the North London derby

There were plenty of talking points in the fixture, one of which being Arteta’s second half substitutions.

Not only did Raheem Sterling make his Arsenal debut after arriving on deadline day, but Ethan Nwaneri was handed the chance to shine.

The 17-year-old was in line to be one contender to replace Martin Odegaard, something that split opinion as the teenager is still learning the ropes.

Arteta put the pre-match discussion to the side and introduced the Englishman in the 86th minute to replace Bukayo Saka.

Something interesting was spotted at the point of the teenager’s arrival into the derby, as Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus was seen instructing the Hale End gem to help him positionally.

The Brazilian told Nwaneri to stay in the advanced areas whilst he covered Saka’s workload on the flank, taking the defensive duties away from the youngster to preserve Arsenal’s lead.

It was a top piece of leadership shown by Jesus, who allowed Nwaneri to show his ability without the pressure of defending a 1-0 lead in the dying embers of the derby.

Arsenal’s unity should concern Manchester City

Next up for Arsenal come Manchester City away from home, another decisive away fixture hitting Arteta’s squad early into the campaign.

It’s a game that the Gunners must get a result from, considering the dominance and power of Pep Guardiola’s machine in the Premier League.

What Jesus’ on-pitch guidance of Nwaneri proved is that Arsenal have grown in areas beyond their playing ability, with the leadership qualities incredibly mature in comparison to the 2022/23 campaign.

Arteta’s title-challengers pressed City for the majority of that season however, fell short when things crumbled, something that has certainly improved as a result of in-game management on the pitch.

Jesus’ leadership when prompting Nwaneri when availability was against Arsenal was an example of such growth, something that might just take the Gunners to a new level this term.