What did Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard do before Gabriel Jesus penalty against Leeds? Clever gesture from Norwegian midfielder comes to light

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard's clever gesture before Gabriel Jesus' penalty against Leeds United in the Premier League clash on 1 April has come to light. Luke Ayling brought Jesus down inside the penalty area, resulting in the Gunners getting awarded a spot kick.

Right before the Brazilian striker went up to take the shot, in the designated penalty taker Bukayo Saka's absence, Leeds players crowded the area. Odegaard, however, kept a hold of the ball and shielded his teammate from any sort of mind games.

His trick worked as Jesus scored from the penalty spot. Ben White added to Arteta's team's lead in the second half before Jesus completed his brace from a Leandro Trossard assist. Granit Xhaka made it four for the hosts.

Arsenal extended their lead atop the Premier League table with the win. They currently have 72 points from 29 matches and are leading Manchester City by eight points, having played one game more than the Cityzens.

Gabriel Jesus reacted to Arsenal's win

After signing from Manchester City in the summer, Gabriel Jesus quickly became an important part of the team. Jesus missed a large chunk of the season after sustaining an injury during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Brazilian, however, returned to the scoresheet in style, bagging a brace against Leeds United. Speaking to the media after the match, Jesus said (via Arsenal's official website):

“It was so good playing again, starting again, and feeling the atmosphere of the crowd. The supporters come all together, and the way they support me is massive. I just want to say thank you to them for supporting me until the end. It’s not easy when you’re seeing your striker not scoring goals but they always support me.”

Jesus stepped up to take the spot kick as Bukayo Saka was not in the first XI after feeling discomfort in training a day before. Speaking about the responsibility, Jesus said:

“I want to score and I practise [penalties]. Yesterday, I was practising with the guys. So, I was confident, I wanted [to take it]. That’s the best way to take penalties."

He further said:

“The most important thing is always the three points. It doesn’t matter how [we do it], but three points are always the most important thing. Obviously, I want to score, I want to help the team with the goals. I missed a big part of the season and now, I just want to play and help the team.”

Arsenal will return to action on April 9 as they take on Liverpool in a Premier League away clash.