Arsenal took on Crystal Palace in a difficult EFL Cup clash at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, with both teams looking to make their way into the semi-finals of the competition.
The match started in nightmare fashion for the Gunners as Jean-Philippe Mateta breezed past Jakub Kiwior to score for Palace, giving his side the lead in the fourth minute.
It was a familiar tale for Mikel Arteta as his side struggled to create anything of note from open play in the first half.
Arsenal roared back in the second half though as Raheem Sterling was denied by Dean Henderson and then the woodwork from close range.
That missed opportunity was put right shortly after, with Martin Odegaard’s cutting pass to Gabriel Jesus opening up the Crystal Palace defence, allowing the Brazilian to coolly chip the goalkeeper.
The Brazilian went from goal drought to goal glut as he bagged a brace shortly after to put the side into an advantageous position.
Eddie Nketiah scored on his return to Arsenal, but it wasn’t enough for the away side to complete another turnaround.
So with that said, here’s a look at a few things you may have missed from Arsenal’s clash with Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup.
- READ MORE: Gabriel Jesus shines on 10/10 night, but one gets 2/10 – Arsenal player ratings vs Crystal Palace
Jurrien Timber fumes at the referee
Some eagle-eyed supporters may have been able to spot yet more frustrated Arsenal players arguing with the referee against Crystal Palace.
The Gunners feel aggrieved with some decisions that have gone against them this season, not least two of the red cards they’ve received.
On two occasions, the side have received sending-offs for delaying the restart, where they’ve stopped the match from playing as quickly as possible.
Supporters have felt it hasn’t been applied to other teams, with Jurrien Timber particularly venting his frustration at referee Andrew Madley on Wednesday.
In the 35th minute, one Crystal Palace player blocked a quick free-kick from being taken, prompting the defender to throw his hands up in frustration before talking to the match official.
No booking was awarded though, only adding to the annoyance.
VAR absence highlights offside error
Being a match official isn’t easy, with split-second decisions often swinging a tie in one way or another for teams.
VAR has often got involved to rule out as many errors as possible, though it wasn’t in use at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
That turned out to be costly for Crystal Palace, as Jesus’ second goal turned out to be offside from the striker’s run.
With no offside call and no VAR to rule it out, Arsenal may well have got away with one to book a place in the semi-final.
Arsenal fans react to Eddie Nketiah return
It was a night to remember for Hale End academy star Eddie Nketiah as he made his return to where it all started.
The former Arsenal star came from the bench as a substitute, with the Emirates Stadium standing up to applaud his return.
Chants of “Eddie” came from the stands, though he would soon come back to haunt the Gunners in a minor way.
The striker managed to score late on to make it a nervous finish, putting the Eagles within touching distance.
How Eddie Nketiah celebrated scoring vs Arsenal
It must’ve been a bizarre feeling for Nketiah when he bagged his second-ever goal for Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.
On the one hand, he finally got back on the scoresheet and brought his team back into the game.
On the other, it was against his former side and that in itself can create mixed emotions for players when they score.
Nketiah didn’t quite go nuts with his celebration, but he did pull out a hint to the rest of his team and supporters.
He pointed to his head and then an invisible watch on his wrist, suggesting there was plenty of time left to get a goal back.
Gabriel Jesus breaks duck and scores first Arsenal hat-trick
Gabriel Jesus has struggled over the past year, but the Brazilian managed to find his goal scoring touch again.
He started by finishing his first effort at the Emirates Stadium in just over one year – his last one at home coming on December 17, 2023.
The forward added two more to his tally, suddenly finding his shooting boots and scoring a first-ever hat-trick for the side.
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