Photo: Andrea-Vilchez

MIKEL Arteta believes Arsenal have gone to “a different level” this season, but insists in order for the club to stay there the burden of goal-getting must be shared around the squad.

The Gunners will be looking to maintain their perfect start in the Premier League on Saturday evening when they take on newly-promoted Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Gabriel Jesus will go into the game brimming with confidence after marking his home debut in style at the weekend – netting two goals and two assists as Arsenal sealed an entertaining 4-2 victory over Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium.

Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli were also on target – but it’s clear the energy that Jesus has brought to the team is galvanising the Gunners.

“Gabby scored two and assisted two and he’s still disappointed in the dressing room because he said he could have scored four,” revealed Arteta.

“That’s the standard, that’s the mentality that if you want to go to a different level you need.

“I wouldn’t like to play against him. I have never been a defender but I can imagine that they don’t enjoy it. He’s so mobile, so intuitive and is always sharp and proactive to play in any moment and any phase of the game. He’s a real threat.”

There is little doubt the players have sharpened their decision-making skills in the final third. Arteta said their “interaction and speed of execution” is on “a different level now”.

It’s clear that some of that progress, at least, is down to Jesus.

The Gunners boss added: “I think it lifts the standards with the way that Gabby is training every day and the way that he’s talking and the way that they [the players] are connecting.

“I think it’s very natural, but at the same time it’s pretty impressive to do it that quickly.

“But we are asking other players to score goals as well. Granit is arriving in the box more and he should have scored last week [against Crystal Palace] and he could have scored two against Leicester because he had another header, and that’s what we need.

“If you want to be at the top then we’re going to have to score a lot of goals – and we cannot rely on just two or three players.”
Meanwhile, Nicolas Pepe’s Arsenal nightmare could be nearing an end, with rumours the midfielder is about to join Nice on loan.

The Gunners broke their transfer record to sign Pepe from Lille in 2019, forking out £72m on the Ivorian. But the 27-year-old has underwhelmed, and now faces the choice of finding a new club or spending the season in obscurity.