Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace: Gabriel Jesus’ second-half hat-trick inspires Gunners to claim Carabao Cup comeback | Football news

Gabriel Jesus put his recent goalscoring woes aside as his second-half hat-trick inspired Arsenal to come from behind to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 and reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

The Brazilian forward came into the match with one goal in his previous 33 Arsenal appearances in all competitions, but his treble rescued Mikel Arteta’s side – who fell behind to a fourth-minute Jean-Philippe Mateta strike.

It was a poor goal for the Gunners to concede, especially for Jakub Kiwior, who was too easily outmuscled by the Palace striker from Dean Henderson’s route-one point, leaving the Frenchman to finish past David Raya.

It was another night where Arsenal’s attacking quality, particularly its depth, was in doubt. Their best chances in the first half came from set-pieces as Jefferson Lerma cleared Leandro Trossard’s corner off the line before Henderson grabbed Raheem Sterling’s free-kick away from the top corner.

Arteta brought on captain Martin Odegaard at the break, which solved these problems. Sterling should have put the Gunners ahead when he was found by a good cross from Kieran Tierney, making his first Arsenal start in 548 days, but he shot straight at Henderson and then hit the crossbar from the spot-kick.

But Jesus finally broke the Palace resistance eight minutes after the break when the influential Odegaard found the striker in the box and his turn baffled Marc Guehi. His deft chip over Henderson was even better.

Jesus thought he had a second when he again turned well in the area – but Henderson put his effort into the side netting.

Arsenal brought in Bukayo Saka in a further momentum shift when, like Odegaard before him, he brought Jesus off the bench.

The England winger played the Brazilian into the box and it was another quick turn from the striker before his finish in the far corner – although there was a hint of a close offside from the striker with no VAR in play. “It was offside,” Palace boss Oliver Glasner said at full-time.

Eight minutes later, Jesus got his third as he broke free in north London – again finding the far corner to claim the match ball – his first hat-trick since April 2022, when he played for Manchester City.

Arsenal thought they were home and dry until Eddie Nketiah – released by the Gunners in the summer – slotted in a superb header to set up a nervy finish. But the Gunners did enough to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals for the second time in three seasons.

WATCH: Jesus’ hat trick in full

Arteta: Now we can trust Jesus

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:

“I’m so happy for him (Jesus). It’s been a long period for him without a goal and today, to score three goals, the three types of goals he scored – and the many actions he was involved in – he looked very very sharp.

“I think it’s a big thing for him and the team that we can rely on a player of that quality. It’s the same with Kieran (Tierney) and other players who haven’t started many games and today had they chance to do so.

“He has a quality, a way of creating and renewing situations, which is quite unique. So Gabi at that level is a great asset for us.

“Now it’s about consistency. Now this is a moment of spark that will bring so much confidence not only to him but to the team that we can trust him to change games.

“Now we have to take it and give him more games and chances. We have to give him more chances because when a player is in that moment it’s important to continue it.”

Analysis: Does this mean Arsenal don’t need a new striker?

Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz at the Emirates Stadium:

Your no. 9, emerging with a hat-trick just in time for Christmas, is the perfect antidote when your attack is being questioned.

Arsenal’s recent laxity in open play and their reliance on set-pieces brought the now-annual debate about whether a new striker is needed in January. So what about Jesus looking in the groove, for at least one half of football?

Arsenal and Jesus proved in the second half that their problem is not a “striker”. Many argued that the Gunners needed a striker last January and they finished on 91 Premier League goals – the most in their history in the competition.

What Arsenal have proven – which needs to be addressed – is a reliance on Saka and Odegaard. It’s more of a creativity problem than a striker problem.

Arteta’s side barely looked like scoring before the two came on in separate substitutions and provided sharp assists for Jesus within minutes of arriving on the pitch.

So whether it’s improving the left wing position or getting better understudies for Saka and Odegaard – Trossard and Sterling didn’t impress, but Ethan Nwaneri looked promising – that’s where Arsenal’s focus must be if they are to make a move in January.

Glasner: We were too cautious – Arsenal deserved it

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner:

“It was a perfect start, but already in the first half we played with too much respect, too careful to find the moment.

“In possession we lost the ball too easily, we didn’t support each other in possession in how it should be from their press.

“We need a top-level performance, then it’s possible to win here. It wasn’t a top-level performance. Then you lose here.

“The positive thing is that we scored two goals, it’s not easy to score here. That’s why it’s frustrating because then it should be a penalty shootout. It’s a deserved win for Arsenal.

“But we gave them too many chances in the second half where they could score. It was two or three great balls. All the situations were pretty similar, the way they found the goals and we made too many mistakes. There wasn’t enough pressure – it was too cautious.”

What happens for Arsenal and Crystal Palace?