Arsenal: Raya, Partey, Timber, Kiwior, Tierney, Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri, Sterling, Trossard, Jesus
Subs: Setford, Saliba, Gabriel, Kacurri, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Arsenal secured their place in the Carabao Cup semi-final after coming from behind to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 at Emirates Stadium, thanks to a second half hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus.
Mikel Arteta made eight changes to the side that drew against Everton on Sunday, with Raheem Sterling making only his third start for the club and Kieran Tierney making his first start since May 2023.
Declan Rice missed out on the matchday squad altogether due to an ongoing groin issue, although Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba were all named on the bench for emergencies.
Palace took the lead after just four minutes when Jakub Kiwior misjudged a simple long ball upfield, allowing Jean-Philippe Mateta to run through, muscle him off and finish past David Raya. 0-1.
The visitors had barely touched the ball until that point but took their first chance clinically after Kiwior’s error.
Arsenal reacted well and fashioned two quick-fire opportunities, with Jefferson Lerma clearing Leandro Trossard’s corner off the line before the Belgian fired over after Ethan Nwaneri won the ball deep into Palace territory.
Palace settled after those chances though and forced another of their own, with Ismaila Sarr testing Raya after pinching the ball off Gabriel Jesus on halfway.
On the half hour mark, Sterling arrowed a free kick towards the top corner from 30 yards but Dean Henderson did well to scramble across goal and tip over, before Trossard wasted another good opportunity – firing wildly across goal – after cutting inside Mateta.
The game eventually fizzled out to half time, with Arsenal having 71% possession but only three shots. Making eight changes had an obvious effect on fluency but the fringe players did not make their cases stronger for greater first-team involvement.
Arteta clearly wasn’t happy with the first half performance, making two changes for the second half, introducing Saliba and Odegaard for Thomas Partey and Nwaneri.
The Gunners should have been level almost instantly, when Tierney was freed down the left and sent a teasing cross towards Sterling at the back post, whose initial effort was saved by Henderson well before his rebound hit the bar.
But they did get their equaliser minutes later when Odegaard found Jesus through the lines, who did brilliantly to hold off Trevoh Chalobah before dinking beautifully over the onrushing Henderson. 1-1.
It was an audacious finish from the Brazilian who netted only his third goal of 2024 – but it was an important one all the same.
Just after the hour mark, Jesus almost doubled his and the Gunners’ tally after turning Maxence Lacroix brilliantly in the penalty box but his toe-poked effort was well saved by Henderson who was proving difficult to beat.
With 20 minutes to play, Arteta made two more changes with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Saka replacing Tierney (who looked to be cramping) and Sterling who was unfortunate not to score just after the break.
Palace were looking increasingly stretched and the second half pressure eventually told, when Jesus was found in behind by Saka before finishing clinically again(!) beyond Henderson and into the far corner. 2-1.
Replays showed the Brazilian had strayed marginally offside but without VAR being used in the competition, the linesman’s decision was final.
The game looked to be wrapped up when Jesus completed his hat-trick with another fine finish, rifling across Henderson after being found by Odegaard with the whole Palace half to run into. 3-1.
That goal meant Jesus had scored more goals for Arsenal in this game (3) than every other game in 2024 combined (2).
With five minutes remaining, Palace did get one back against the run of play through Eddie Nketiah who directed a perfect header into the far corner after finding himself between Kiwior and Saliba. 3-2.
That goal made things nervier than they needed to be, but Palace didn’t create another opportunity after scoring their second and Arsenal eventually saw out an important win.
After a lacklustre first half, some second half changes and an injection of urgency proved too much for the visitors.
I always said Jesus was a clinical finisher. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. He’s back!
those cheeky, classy finishes are very nice when they come off. the problem was that lately they were… ineffective, to say the least. but if he can execute them like that from now on i’ll gladly agree with you
Wasn’t expecting a hattrick, would have been happy with one goal given his last year with us. Let’s hope he gets the confidence to keep it going!
Absolutely. If Jesus can get back to anything like his pre world cup form we’ll have a hell of a player on our hands again. Hopefully this will be the moment for him because what he did out there tonight was simply brilliant.
From a Joker, it was hard to believe.
That first goal was ridiculously cool! But his look of shear joy after the second was infectious… I hope he can carry this clinicality/clinicalnous/clinicism(???) into the PL and CL… #clinicious
Yes.
And on the 3rd, not to be phased by all the time and space, also good
love that he sent the keeper the wrong way, it wasn’t clear from the angles the TV showed but he must have done it with a quick look to the opposite corner from the one he eventually shot towards?
I remember this feeling!
Really chuffed for Jesus. I was nay-saying him after the Fulham game (and this is only one game), but this could be massive for him. Fingers crossed
gotta have some balls to score a hat trick after almost everyone has written you off, props to him. let’s hope he can break the infinite cycle of “gets injured > doesn’t score for a long time > plays like prime bergkamp for a month > repeat”
Jesus obviously well deserved man of the match but he should be buying Captain Odegaard a very nice meal tonight… completely changed the match, what a player
The church has been saying it for centuries, and finally they have been proven right……Jesus has returned
If Jesus reignites, it reignites Martinelli and our season. Believe that. It’s psychological, look at a confident Havertz versus shattered confidence Havertz. Different players. Jesus can make a come back. Merino really doesn’t impress me. A stodgy player. 6/10.
Merino is the difference in this team. I didn’t see much of the first half, but second half he was literally the glue, picking up the positions being vacated by the rotations. Winning all the second balls and always available for the pass. He was very good.
Merino is an intelligent player who needs a little more time on the ball, not sure EPL is that forgiving though. Tidy enough without doing much spectacular. I think we need a left 8, someone faster like Odegaard, we need that type of player or 80% what Odegaard is pleasing wise but equally quick on his feet with releasing passes and nibble too.
We need a natural nibbler thats for sure. Is Suarez available?
Hahahaha, not a vampire.
I think the reason we have signed Merino is because we intend to give our full backs more attacking freedom. A left eight like Merino gives a lot of freedom to the left back and left wing forward – and at the same time we signed Merino we signed Califiori who has shown a lot of attacking intent… If we can start getting a tune out of martinelli (or sign a new left winger), then a trio of Califiori Merino and Martinelli/left winger would compliment each other very well
That was a refreshing game of football to watch, I don’t care. A left back with a left foot playing actual left back instead of inverted bullshit. Head tennis. The opposition having a few shots, ourselves having a few. Non prescribed passages of play, actual risks taken. No bullshit VAR, Jesus scoring. I’m happy. Tierney and Jesus to start Saturday.
what you need my friend is a time machine, cause the times they are a changin’
Tierney is not going to start, and that “inverted bullshit” ain’t going away 🤷
I didn’t say I was right or wrong, only that I found it refreshing. Btw I think Arteta has literally saved the club so he has a lot of leeway for “bullshit” in my book!
fair enough 🙂 sounded like a slightly more criticial “bring back George Graham” vibe, I can definitely agree that it was refreshing.
Ah look, it was heat of the moment stuff! I do appreciate Arteta, I just wish we could let the handbrake off and be a bit more unpredictable from time to time.
but see that’s ironic, wanting us to be more unpredictable but also wanting the left back to just be a left back and only run up and down the sideline. You realise the idea of inverting full backs is that they don’t *just* invert right? The ideal is a player like Timber who can literally do all of those things precisely so the opposition can’t predict what he actually will do at any given moment.
Maybe you’re right. All I know is that looking at our last 8-10 games (excluding tonight) when an Arsenal player gets possession, it’s nearly like playing fifa in that I can almost 90% of the time tell where he is going to pass the ball to. Think of that first title challenge when Saka, Jesus and Martinelli were running riot. Ok, teams probably sit back more on us now, but they were sitting back in the second half of that season too and we were unlocking them. Saliba’s injury is something that Mikel has mistaken for lack of control. His… Read more »
Completely disagree, I really don’t get this opinion that Mikel seeks complete predictability, quite the opposite I think he’s worked quite hard to make us less predictable and has said as much many times, hence the inverting full backs, and players like Kai, Tross and others who can seemlessly move between positions. You being able to tell where the pass will go to isn’t hard for any team other than for the rare player like Odegaard or De Bruyne who can spot a pass that nobody else can, most of the time there’s an obvious option where space opens up… Read more »
Before I argue with you, I’d like to say I love having these discussions, it’s why we all follow football. We all have different interpretations and opinions on the game and it’s interesting to debate them with a fellow fan. I find it hard to believe you don’t see the current setup as being stale and predictable though. I turned on the last 20 mins of Liverpool and Southampton, and there was lots of stuff that I just don’t see happening currently with our team. Today I saw Sterling and Timber on two occasions beat men and then immediately look… Read more »
I feel you Chippy. Great to see Tierney on the pitch again, great to see Jesus scoring goals again and looking lively, and a good win…just what the doctor ordered
Too bad it looked like he pulled up again. I may be wrong though and I’m hoping I’m wrong but after that attempted pass he seemed to touch his hamstring then was about to sit down soon after before Arteta pushed him back onto the pitch so he can sit and have that substition. It may have been cramp or fatigue having not played for a very long time. Back to your point, that cross 18 yard passed was lovely and, deserved better. You’re right we hardly see those.
Took more like 30 weeks than 3 days but Jesus is risen from the dead
Brilliant from Jesus, but my main take away was that the only time Odegaard should leave the pitch is
a) he’s injured
b) we’re winning 3+ goals
c) it’s 10pm, the game finished hours ago and your wife and child miss you Martin
get that baby on the sideline if necessary ffs
Too many changes didn’t do us any favors. Odegaard is the glue that glues us together. If he’s on song we are a different animal. We needed that Vs Everton, but it’s water under the bridge. Stay health and, play wit this time of oomph we are, definitely winning trophies this season.
Chalobah fell down, picked up the ball, and ref has given a free kick to Arsenal for handball. Confused fellow.
Should have been more comfortable.
Had we started with the first 11 then we would have got there more easily. But we’re there now.
Happy for Jesus but he’s still not the answer to our problems.
Nketia man of the match.
You like stupid attention. Not tonight. Tonight belongs to gunners not people like you.
funny how he still haunts you even after gone!
Eddie had to score, didn’t he?
He couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo since he left and yet he bags a great goal against us.
The revenge of your ex
I know the victory is fresh, but do we think the manager has to go back with Jesus on the weekend vs Palace?
Those were some amazing finishes.
Could have Havertz on bench or left 8.
Great win lads. I’m happy for Eddie too (only after victory assured of course); that was some header young man!
Credit to Arteta, starting 11 had me worried but we got away with the rotation.
Ode, take a bow. You deserve some flowers too!
definitely feels like the right thing to do to try to use this performance to build some momentum for Jesus would be to start him again on the weekend, but also don’t want Havertz to lose his rhythm and confidence after it took so long to build it, so it’s a tricky balance to strike. I think I’d start Havertz on balance, and either Jesus on the left wing (?) or have him come in at 60′
Don’t care who he picks up front as long as he leaves Sterling on the bench
Jesus definitely starts on the weekend. The reward for good work has to be more work!😄😄
I’m so happy for G. Jesus, that was the finishing of a confident player. Please may he kick on from here. He’s still the best pressing forward in Europe, and if he can rediscover some end product, what a player we will have.
That was an unbelievable header from Nketiah. Pleased we sold him and it looks like robbery so far, but oof.. not many get above big Bill like that.
Jesus is back.
A lot slicker with the ball, lots of movement, piercing passes, good goals scored. Terrible conceded goals Kiwior, the man tries but doesn’t cover himself with any glory, giving us the old Mustafi feeling everytime there’s ball coming his way under pressure.
I loved it, Semis babe! COYG. Can we have spuds, please please, semis or finals, jist bring them. Would be nice adding more dust to their trophy cabinet.
He’s better than Mustafi lol
Ofcourse he is, but that blunder for the first goal, then the mistimed header for their, second goal, the weak back pass for that other game when Saliba was out. Just worries me, doesn’t fill me with any confidence
What a silly game. Glad we won.
Damn, what a header for Eddie!
Not ideal but we’ve through
Although, I reckon we’ll smash them Saturday
It was a really good game of football!
How do we get rid of the stadium announcer? It’s unbearable. Even away fans are taking the p!ss. Anyone got a petition or something? Also great win tonight btw
It’s the story of Christmas. Ho ho ho
Happy to see Tierny back! Really happy with his physicality
Great game. We came out with a too weak side, but aside from the mistake that gave them the lead, we had controlled the first half even with the weakened side. As we put some heavy hitters on, we turned our domination into goals. Jesus, Ooof!. Just as started convincing myself he’s a busted flush he comes up with a hattrick like this. Of course Saka and especially Odegaard played their parts (2 wonderful assists from Ode) but they were all good crisp finishes, as if he’d never had such a long dry spell. Stirling on the other hand has… Read more »