Arsenal cruised to victory against Crystal Palace with a 5-1 win at Selhurst Park to keep their chances of winning the Premier League title well and truly alive.
Gabriel Jesus’ first-half brace fired Arsenal to an emphatic 5-1 win against Crystal Palace to take them within three points of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.
Just three days after his hat-trick propelled Arsenal through to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, Jesus was back among the goals after he scored either side of Ismaila Sarr’s strike in a frenetic opening 15 minutes at Selhurst Park.
Kai Havertz netted Arsenal’s third, seven minutes before the interval, and Gabriel Martinelli added another for the visitors on the hour mark. Declan Rice then completed the rout six minutes from time.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said his team has had a very good week. “It is always weird to play the same opponent twice in three days. We started well and then conceded and the team reacted so well. To score five goals away from home in this league is never easy.
“You could see in the days before and after he [Gabriel Jesus] was ready for it. I had no doubts. When a player is in that momentum he has to play.
“Some of the goals were really good from different faces and players sharing the goals. It was really positive. When [Declan] Rice came on he gave us something else in the game. He grabbed the game and gave us control.
“We are in a really good moment. We have not lost in 10 matches, we have won five out of seven and we deserved to win all of them. We are coping with a lot of things. The team is adapting and fighting every game.
“From the first 60 minutes we can take a lot of positives. We have to defend the box but everything else one of our best performances. The pressure we gave them, the balls we were winning, in possession how we move the ball and how many chances we created. Of course, we will learn from it. We have to learn that when you give the top teams a crumb, they take the whole cake!”, said Arteta.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, speaking to Sky Sports noted that “in football sometimes it’s crazy when I compare the performance in the first half to the Emirates [in the Carabao Cup]. It was far better today but we were 3-1 down and there we had the lead so it’s crazy because I thought we did many things well.
“The first box was a cross the second was a set-play and the third was a cross where we don’t mark the man – we defended the box terrible. The quality of their players they punished us. If you want to beat a team like Arsenal everything has to be almost perfect. It was not good enough today. We created chances but the result is disappointing. In the box too many times we watched the players.”
Arsenal forward Jesus told Sky Sports:
“Obviously the first goal was very important early. The way we started, the full team was really ready to play well and fight. They have a strong team and quality players and we know it is always difficult to come here. We did the job and I am very happy with the goals as a number nine, I know the pressure is always on to score. I am happy but the win, the three points, was massive today.
“I’m the type of guy that wants to work hard. I know my qualities. I know I can score. In my mind I know I can score, I just have to put myself in a good position to finish the action like today. I put two in the net and missed one I will be dreaming of. When I play with a smile on my face everything is different so I am trying to keep my mind strong and just help the team. I understand I have to be more in the box to finish the action.
“It is great to be back in the team playing more. I am experienced enough and know when a player is playing constantly it is different. I am happy to get more chances but it is up to me to put myself in the right places to score. It is Arsenal, it is a huge club and I know the pressure for the number nine to score is there.”
The Gunners have kept their place in third but are now just three points behind Liverpool who remain top of the table. Chelsea are second, one point in front of Mikel Arteta’s men, and both they and Liverpool play tomorrow.
Crystal Palace meanwhile are 15th and still four points clear of the relegation zone.
