Gabriel Jesus sends transfer message with Man City future in doubt

Gabriel Jesus picked the perfect moment to go goal-crazy and send Manchester City four points clear at the top. The Brazil international scored four - for only the second time in his five-year City career - as the Blues eased to a comfortable win over the relegation-haunted Hornets.

And with the strong possibility of him leaving the club emerging this week, with Arsenal believed to be at the forefront of clubs waiting to sign him - he either added a few million to his transfer fee and his wage expectation or will have made City think twice about letting him go!

Jesus has 93 goals in 230 games for City, not too shabby, but his propensity to miss big chances at important moments meant he was always in the shadow of Sergio Aguero. And with Erling Haaland a likely arrival this summer, along with Argentina whizz-kid Julian Alvarez, the squeeze is on for those front places and Jesus is a likely casualty.

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But he showed a lethality in front of goal that has often deserted him, and which caused his conversion to a right winger - he even scored confidently from the penalty spot to clinch his hat-trick, another issue that has dogged his City career. And by adding an assist for Rodri’s thunderous volley, he claimed an involvement in all five City goals.

Nerves are the norm at this stage of the season, even if the opposition look like relegation fodder, have lost all 14 meetings with City since 2008 by a total of 53 goals to six, and were on the end of an 8-0 mauling last time they visited. But those nerves were quickly dispelled as City forged ahead in the fourth minute. Oleksandr Zinchenko claimed a big assist, retrieving Joao Cancelo’s cross, which evaded everyone, and lashing the ball across the