🚨🏴 GOAL | Arsenal 3-1 Crystal Palace | Gabriel Jesus
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) December 18, 2024
GABRIEL JESUS HAS SCORED A HAT-TRICK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/Glum52xtQ6
BBC SPORT
Gabriel Jesus scored his first home goals in a year as his hat-trick helped Arsenal come from behind to beat Crystal Palace and reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Palace looked capable of pulling off a shock when they took the lead with their first shot of the match – Jean-Philippe Mateta getting the better of Jakub Kiwior to score the opener.
Mikel Arteta made eight changes from the side that started their goalless draw with Everton at the weekend, with Kieran Tierney making his first Arsenal appearance since the 2023 Community Shield, but the players who came in did not largely have the desired effect.
Arteta, sensing that the game was slipping away from Arsenal, introduced captain Martin Odegaard and William Saliba at half-time.
They looked a different team – Raheem Sterling hitting the bar from close range after Henderson saved his initial effort – before Odegaard slipped an inch-perfect pass to Jesus, who controlled excellently before chipping the ball over Henderson to level the match.
Jesus then got his second of the match when he was played into the box by second-half substitute Bukayo Saka and he fired low into the bottom corner.
The Brazilian completed his hat-trick when he again was found by Odegaard and drilled his shot past Henderson to win the game.
There was time for former Arsenal player Eddie Nketiah to grab a consolation goal but Arsenal held firm to reach the last four.
In-form Jesus could help Arsenal silverware hunt
This match starts a unique week for both of these sides, who play each other again in the Premier League on Saturday at Selhurst Park.
The changes that Arteta made to his side did not work out but Jesus’ hat-trick will make it tough for the Arsenal boss to leave him out of the league game this weekend.
It has been a difficult time for the former Manchester City forward, who has not scored in the Premier League since January.
After the initial impact he had when he signed, he has struggled to replicate that form and has lost his regular spot in the Arsenal side to Kai Havertz.
There had even been a suggestion that Arteta would be open to letting the striker go in the January transfer window, before the Arsenal manager said that it made “no sense”.
It definitely would not make sense for Arteta to do so following this performance.
Jesus scored in the last 16 of the competition at Preston, but even with this treble he has scored just five goals in 2024 for Arsenal.
With the Gunners desperate to win silverware, a Jesus that is in form could be the added boost that they need to get over the line.
