Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace: Gabriel Jesus hat-trick sends the Gunners into the Carabao Cup semi-finals
Mikel Arteta hopes Gabriel Jesus’ Carabao Cup hat-trick will give the striker the “spark” he needs to recapture his Premier League goalscoring form.
The Brazilian forward scored three second-half goals against Crystal Palace as the Gunners came from behind to reach the semi-finals.
It was his first goal at the Emirates Stadium in a year and also only the second game he has scored this season, following a strike against Preston – also in the EFL Cup – at the end of October.
Jesus has not scored in the Premier League since January 30 and Arteta hopes his treble will spur him to start finding the net again in the league to help Arsenal’s title challenge.
“It’s now about consistency,” Arteta said.
“It’s a moment of spark that will bring so much to the team that we can count on him to change games. We have to give him more chances.”
Jesus said after the game that he had worked hard in training to improve his finishing, but he knows he must now continue his scoring form.
“I wear the number nine for Arsenal so I have to score goals,” he told BBC Radio 5 live. – Also Kai (Havertz) is the team’s attackers and has pressure to score.
“If you want to challenge for a place, we have to keep scoring. It’s not easy, if it was there would be many strikers in the world, but we keep trying.
“I came here to win the Premier League and my first two seasons we were there, but for some details. This third season I want to win.”