Evening Standard
·18 December 2024
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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·18 December 2024
Gabriel Jesus scored three times in the second-half in a welcome return to form
Gabriel Jesus scored a hat-trick as Arsenal came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 and reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. The Gunners made a disastrous start in north London, as Jakub Kiwior failed to deal with a long ball forward and Jean-Philippe Mateta charged through on goal to finish past David Raya in the opening minutes.
Palace still held the lead at half-time, forcing Mikel Arteta into changes as Martin Odegaard and William Saliba were introduced, but it was Jesus who took centre stage. Odegaard played Jesus in on goal for the first, with the Brazilian producing a wonderful dinked finish over Dean Henderson, before he relied on pure power to beat the goalkeeper for a second time when picked out by Bukayo Saka, another second-half substitute.
The third soon followed, when Jesus was completely free on the halfway line, Odegaard picked him out and he had the Palace half to himself. Hee strolled through and again found the bottom corner to secure the match ball. But Palace were given late hope when Eddie Nketiah headed in against his former club, setting up a grandstand finish. The Gunners survived that scare to hold firm.