Crystal Palace 1 – 5 Arsenal
Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus continues his remarkable form, scoring five goals against the same team in just three days.
Less than three days after dazzling with a hat trick against Crystal Palace in the League Cup, Jesus once again found the net early and later added another to his tally. Arsenal cruised to a dominant 5-1 victory in the Premier League, marking their first league win in two matches.
On Saturday at Selhurst Park, Mikel Arteta’s team was unstoppable. Following Jesus’ brace, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Declan Rice joined the scoresheet to complete the rout.
Just days earlier, Arsenal had overcome an early setback to beat Palace 3-2 in the League Cup semifinals, thanks to Jesus’ brilliant hat trick. Reflecting on that win, the Brazilian forward had said, “We’ll have to win another battle to beat them again.”
This time, however, Arsenal needed no heroics, sealing a comfortable win. With nine wins and six draws from 17 matches, they now sit third in the table with 33 points, just one behind Chelsea, who have a game in hand. Liverpool remains at the top with 36 points from 15 games.
A Dominant Display
Jesus set the tone in the sixth minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from Palace. A failed clearance fell perfectly for the opportunistic Brazilian, who coolly slotted the ball into the net with a first-time strike. It was Jesus’ first Premier League goal in nearly a year, with his previous one coming in January.
Palace responded swiftly, equalizing in the 11th minute. Ismaïla Sarr received a pass on the left, weaved into the box, and unleashed a powerful strike past two defenders and into the far post.
Arsenal, however, didn’t take long to reclaim their lead. Just three minutes later, following a corner, Jesus received a cutback and fired a precise shot into the net, brushing past the post.
The match remained lively, with both sides trading chances. Palace nearly equalized again in the 21st minute, but Jean-Philippe Mateta’s close-range effort was brilliantly saved by David Raya.
Arsenal came close to scoring twice in quick succession, with Gabriel Magalhães’ header striking the crossbar in the 37th minute, followed by Jesus’ header hitting the post moments later. But the Gunners finally broke through as Havertz tapped in a rebound to make it 3-1.
Second-Half Brilliance
Arsenal’s dominance continued in the second half. Raya’s double save in the 53rd minute preserved their lead, as he denied Mateta’s long-range shot and Sarr’s rebound effort.
In the 60th minute, Arsenal extended their advantage. Jesus’ attempt for a hat trick was blocked, but the rebound fell to Declan Rice, whose shot deflected to Martinelli. The Brazilian forward coolly converted to make it 4-1.
Arsenal wrapped up their emphatic victory in the 84th minute when Rice added a fifth. Receiving a pass from Ricordor, he maneuvered through two defenders and slotted a low, angled shot into the far post.
Palace Struggles Continue
This was Palace’s seventh defeat of the league season. With three wins and seven draws from 17 matches, they sit precariously in 17th place with just 16 points.
Elsewhere in the Premier League
Manchester City’s woes continued as Pep Guardiola’s side suffered a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, dropping to sixth place in the table with 27 points from 17 matches. Villa, with 28 points, moved up to fifth.
