Gabriel Jesus stole the headlines as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 3-2 to reach the EFL Cup semi-final.
On a night that offered Mikel Arteta the chance to take a step closer to silverware, the Gunners started in alarming fashion.
Jakub Kiwior handed Crystal Palace a goal after just three minutes, getting dragged by Jean-Philippe Mateta, who made no mistake in putting the Eagles ahead.
Fortunately, Arsenal’s number nine finally found form to save the day, as Jesus netted a hat-trick to see the game end in victory.
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Mikel Arteta reacts to Gabriel Jesus hat-trick
The game was all about Arsenal strikers past and present, as Jesus netted three and former Gunner Eddie Nketiah returned to the Emirates and scored late on.
While Nketiah’s goal was merely a consolation, Jesus won the game for the hosts, who are now two legs away from Wembley.
It was a relief for the Brazilian to score, as Jesus scored at the Emirates for the first time in 366 days, repaying Arteta’s patience to save the Gunners blushes.
The season has been tough for Jesus, who has received harsh criticism for his lackluster displays and now, the Arsenal manager has backed his forward to turn things around.
Speaking about the hat-trick hero after his side’s win against Palace, Arteta explained what’s next for the 27-year-old.
“It’s now about consistency,” Arteta said in the post-match press conference.
“It’s a moment of spark that will bring so much to the team that we can rely on him to change games. We need to give him more chances.”
The boss confirmed that we will be seeing more of Jesus in the near future, with it clear that when the striker is riding confidence, he can make things happen for the Gunners.
What Jesus said after Crystal Palace hat-trick
It was a memorable night for Arsenal, and one to savour for Jesus, who finally got to celebrate a goal in N5 again.
The Brazilian has struggled through a particularly tough time, overcoming injuries, competition in the squad and combating his lack of confidence caused by his goal drought.
The striker’s relief and delight shone through after the game, as he addressed Arsenal fans on social media.
“Into the semi-finals and so happy to pick up the match ball tonight, thank you Gooners,” Jesus said with a beaming smile.
Arteta certainly thinks that the 2022 signing has a lot more to offer at the Emirates, and the boss could be right based on what was seen against the Eagles.
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