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JESUS LAYS RUSSIA GHOST TO REST WITH SCORING SPREE
GABRIEL Jesus is over his World Cup misery and ready to rip up the Premier League once again.
But the Brazil striker, who scored four goals for the first time in his career in the 9-0 thrashing of Burton Albion, now needs to thrive with his family heading back to his homeland.
Jesus has had a tough season so far, bagging just three league goals, and has felt the weight of expectation, despite a hat-trick against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
That showed on Sunday in the FA Cup against Rotherham, when he scored in a 7-0 win but missed three great chances.
But he snaffled up all the opportunities that went his way in the first leg of the Carabao Cup and walked off with the match ball after bagging four for the first time in his professional career.
The confidence he derived from that was shining from his smiling face after the game, and he said: “It was very important for my mentality.
“I need to score goals, I know that,” he added.
“Sometimes it’s difficult but I always try to score and help the team. I am a striker so I have to score, but I always try to play well and help the team every time.
“This week is special to me because I have scored a lot.
“I maybe I tried too hard against Rotherham and missed two or three goals.
“I work hard every day on scoring goals, and that is why this made me so happy, as my work paid off.”
Jesus began his City career in spectacular fashion with seven goals in his first 11 games, but a couple of long-term injuries disrupted his flow and saw Sergio Aguero re-establish himself as Pep Guardiola’s number one striker.
Then came the trauma of the World Cup as Brazil were knocked out in the quarterfinals and Jesus failed to score, bringing a welter of criticism from fans and media.
That also knocked the morale of the 21-yearold – and now he is gearing himself up to the fact that his family, who have been staying in Manchester for a few weeks, return home next week. He said: “Last year was difficult for me after the World Cup, but I have forgotten that now. “I think I played very well at the World Cup but didn’t score a goal. In Brazil it is difficult when you are a striker and don’t score at the World Cup. “My feeling is back, and I have been so happy that my family is here with me. “On Tuesday they go to Brazil, but that is life. You need to work, to do what you love, and football is what I love.” Jesus said that the players were aware of the City fans chanting ‘We want ten’! – and that they wanted double figures just as much. “We could hear them! The fans wanted it, and we did as well – maybe next time, but this game is very difficult if you don’t run and play seriously,” he said. “Sometimes you know you are better than the opponent but you still need to run. So we worked hard and won the game.”
I maybe tried too hard against Rotherham and missed two or three goals Gabriel Jesus