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Gabriel Jesus has proved a revelation since swapping Manchester City for Arsenal last summer.

The Brazilian has provided the goals to spear the Gunners' Premier League title challenge but he also arrived with his own celebration.

Jesus has been picking up the phone a lot for Premier League leaders Arsenal this season
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Jesus has been picking up the phone a lot for Premier League leaders Arsenal this seasonCredit: pa

Jesus has been synonymous on these shores with his 'telephone' goal celebration since scoring twice for City in a 2-1 win over Swansea in 2017.

Fake quotes attributed to the forward circulated at the time that the gesture was in reference to an ex-girlfriend, who had blanked his calls but had been trying to ring him again after his move to England.

Jesus has since cleared up the reason behind the celebration, clarifying that it is about a woman... but certainly not an ex!

Why does Gabriel Jesus do the phone celebration?

Jesus first whipped out the iconic celebration for Brazil in a 2-0 World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela in October 2016.

The 26-year-old is extremely close with his mother Vera Lucia Diniz de Jesus, who rang him before the game after learning her son would be leading the line for Selecao in Neymar's absence.

She explained afterwards: “I was afraid of the responsibility he was feeling but I told him he was capable and would have a good game.”

Jesus took just over seven minutes to pounce upon a sloppy backpass and dink the goalkeeper before holding up an imaginary phone to his ear.

He said: “It was a joke with my friends, a 'Hello, mother'. My friends know why. My mother knows too. It was a celebration for them.”

Jesus' celebration has proved popular among fans and teammates
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Jesus' celebration has proved popular among fans and teammatesCredit: Getty

Jesus expanded on the celebration a year later in a candid contribution to The Players' Tribune where he detailed his close relationship with his mother.

"When we were kids, my mom would be calling me all the time to find out where I was, and if I didn't pick up, she'd start calling all my friends," Jesus said.

"When I pick up the phone, it is in honour of my mother and our struggle. But it is also in honour of my friends and family and Coach Mamede and everyone in Brazil who helped me get here."

He added: "Whenever I score for Manchester City, my mother calls me. As soon as the ball hits the back of the net, the phone rings.

"It doesn't matter if she's back home in Brazil or if she's in the stadium watching me. She calls me every time. So I run to the corner flag, and I put my hand to my ear, and I say, 'Alo Mae!' (Hello mum)."

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