After a slower start than some were expecting, Arsenal are flying this year.
Mikel Arteta's side are arguably the most in-form team in the country and have won their last seven Premier League games by an aggregate score of 33-3.
The Gunners have certainly found their scoring boots since the turn of the year, and they've done so without Gabriel Jesus for much of it.
The Brazilian has been out with a knee injury, and while he returned on Monday, one of the club's young stars out on loan could be coming for his spot next season, and he's been compared to some of the best in the game.
How Jesus has fared this season
It has been an odd campaign for the former Manchester City ace, as injuries have seen him come in and out of the team since the summer.
In all, the 26-year-old has missed 15 games through injury this season and spent 83 days on the sidelines, making it practically impossible for him to build up any steam.
Appearances
18
5
1
Minutes
1125'
323'
22'
Goals
4
4
0
Assists
3
2
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.38
1.2
0
That said, Jesus is an immensely talented footballer, and in the 24 matches he has played in 2023/24, he has scored eight goals and provided five assists, meaning he's averaging 0.54 goal involvements this season.
While his performances in the league have been impressive, it's in the Champions League that the Brazilian has shone. In just five games, the attacker has scored four goals and provided two assists, and he looked particularly impressive away to Sevilla.
Arsenal may be scoring for fun at the moment, but there's no doubt that they'll get even better with the reintroduction of Jesus, although the club does have a youngster out on loan who could battle for his place in the coming years.
How Mika Biereth has performed on loan this season
The youngster in question is Danish U21 star Mika Biereth, who has been wowing fans in Scotland and Austria with his impressive goalscoring this season.
The "superb" forward, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, joined Arsenal's academy in July 2021 after registering a staggering 40 goal involvements in just 37 appearances for Fulham's U18 side, and after registering 18 in 26 for the Gunners' U23 team, he was sent out on loan to Dutch side RKC Waalwijk for the 2022/23 campaign.
Appearances
15
7
Minutes
1045'
512'
Goals
6
5
Assists
5
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.73
0.85
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Unfortunately, the move didn't work out for the London-born forward, but his move to Motherwell at the start of this season certainly did. In just 15 appearances, Biereth scored six goals and provided five assists, at which point it was decided he should spend the second half of the season on loan with Sturm Graz.
This decision was described as a "major disappointment" by Steelmen boss Stuart Kettlewell, such was his impact on the club.
In his seven appearances for Die Schwoazn, who currently sit second in the Austrian Bundesliga, the 21-year-old has scored five goals and provided one assist, which has understandably caught the attention of journalists in the UK.
When asked by the i newspaper which players he would compare himself to, Biereth replied: "I've said before if I can compare myself to another player, I'd say a s**t [Erling] Haaland and a s**t [Harry] Kane! A hybrid of them."
It's undoubtedly a bold comparison to make from the young forward, but there are some similarities. For example, Haaland moved to Salzburg from Molde in January 2019, and while his tally of 29 goals and seven assists in 27 games is likely better than what Biereth will muster, it shows that the league can be a great springboard.
Regarding the Kane comparison, it's more about their experiences on loan, as, just like the Dane, the Englishman experienced some problems while away from his parent club, notably with Norwich City and Leicester City, where he scored just two goals in 20 total appearances.
Ultimately, it's unlikely that the young Gunner will quite reach the levels of those two anytime soon, but his genuinely impressive record from this season is promising.
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That said, while Biereth's rapid development might delight Arsenal, it could cause Jesus to start looking over his shoulder in the coming seasons.