Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus should relax despite scoring struggles, says Pep Guardiola

Jesus has netted just one Premier League goal so far this term – at home to Huddersfield in August

Gabriel Jesus has only scored once in the Premier League this season (Getty)

Pep Guardiola remains relaxed about Gabriel Jesus‘ form, despite the striker’s struggles for consistency in front of goal this season.

Jesus has netted just one Premier League goal so far this term – at home to Huddersfield Town on 19 August – and drew another blank against Bournemouth on Saturday.

After enjoying something of a breakout year in European football in 2017, the 21-year-old’s 2018 has proved significantly more difficult.

Jesus was heavily criticised in Brazil for failing to score while leading the Selecao’s line at the World Cup in Russia this summer.

In Manchester, meanwhile, Jesus appears to be playing second fiddle to Sergio Aguero, despite threatening to take the Argentine’s place in the City side upon his arrival.

An Aguero muscle injury provided Jesus with a chance to impress on Saturday, and Guardiola was not concerned that the Brazilian failed to take it.

“We just relax,” he said. “It’s work, this work ethic he has. Always I said to him: when you put like he put on the pitch, always we will sustain him. We will always be there.

“Football is not for one player the reason why he plays bad. He helps us a lot. Gabriel is a delight.

“He’s young, the same as the others ones, he will improve because has the desire to improve and that is important. He helped us a lot. A lot.”

Jesus himself said that he hopes to soon put a challenging year behind him and vowed to seize future opportunities that come his way.

“I want to make it clear that everything that happened is already in the past for me: my injury, the title, the World Cup,” he said. “I want to focus on this current season, not on what is gone.

“I’ve been training really hard, maybe that’s why I felt something in my groin last week. Unfortunately, I was out of the Champions League match that I really wanted to play.

“I always make it clear for Pep that I’m here to help the team regardless of how. Obviously that I want to play more minutes, but I respect who is playing at the moment. Hopefully, I make the best out of my next chances.”