Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Report

Scorers: Jesus 54’, 73’, 81’; Mateta 4, Nketiah 85’

Gabriel Jesus produced a scintillating second-half hat-trick to overturn an early setback, as Arsenal edged Crystal Palace to book their place in the EFL Cup semi finals.

First Half: Mateta Strikes Early, Arsenal Struggle

Crystal Palace’s hopes of ending their wretched record at Arsenal received an early boost when Jean-Philippe Mateta capitalised on a defensive lapse.

Dean Henderson’s long clearance caught Arsenal’s reshuffled defence off guard, and Jakub Kiwior’s failure to deal with the aerial threat allowed Mateta to outmuscle him, bearing down on goal to calmly slot past David Raya in just the fourth minute.

Stunned by the early setback, Arsenal controlled possession but lacked penetration in the first half. Despite Raheem Sterling testing Henderson with a dipping free-kick midway through the half, the Gunners appeared toothless against a resolute Palace defence.

Second Half: Ødegaard Inspires Arsenal Revival

With his side trailing, Mikel Arteta turned to Martin Ødegaard and William Saliba at the break, and their introduction transformed Arsenal. Sterling squandered two golden opportunities shortly after the restart, while Mikel Merino narrowly missed the target with a driven effort.

The breakthrough came in the 61st minute when Ødegaard’s trademark vision unlocked the Palace defence. Sliding an inch-perfect pass into Gabriel Jesus, the Brazilian expertly lifted the ball over Henderson to restore parity.

Arsenal’s momentum was palpable, and Jesus soon added a second, capping a fluid attacking move by drilling into the bottom corner. With Palace pushed back, the Gunners sealed the tie on the counterattack.

Jesus broke from inside his own half, racing clear of the defence before rifling an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net to complete a stunning hat-trick in the 82nd minute.

Late Drama: Palace Fight Back

The drama wasn’t over, as former Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah gave the visitors a lifeline with a superb header in the 85th minute. Rising above Saliba to meet Nathaniel Clyne’s pinpoint cross, Nketiah set up a tense finish.

However, Arsenal held firm in the dying moments, despite a late Palace push, to secure their fifth consecutive victory over their London rivals.

What’s Next?

Arsenal will now shift focus back to the Premier League, where they face Palace again at Selhurst Park on Saturday. With their EFL Cup run still alive, Mikel Arteta’s men remain contenders on multiple fronts.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, will look to avenge this defeat in their weekend clash, hoping to build on their spirited performance.

For more info on this game’s outcome, you may also visit:
Carabao Cup draw, Final date, results, fixtures, stats, rules – The English Football League