Match report and talking points as the Gunners are flattered by the one-sided result

Crystal Palace lost 5-1 at home to Arsenal on Saturday evening, a result that stunned the visitors.

Mikel Arteta’s team took advantage of the opportunities wasted by its hosts. The two teams exchanged three goals in the first 15 minutes, during which Gabriel Jesus scored a brace A midweek hat-trick against the same opponentsbefore Kai Havertz gave Arsenal a 3-1 lead at the end of the first half.

Palace continued to create and waste chances until Gabriel Martinelli finished off what had been a thrilling contest in the 60th minute. Declan Rice made it 5-1 in the dying minutes to put Arsenal back in third place at half-time Premier League table.

How the game unfolded

Arsenal had to wait until the 54th minute Wednesday in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals At the Emirates Stadium to score against Crystal Palace. Jesus fired the Gunners ahead after six minutes at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Ismail Sarr Mashqouq castle The two teams equalized in the 11th minute, concluding the series of smooth passes that began in the home team’s half. The Senegal international was the only Palace player to score, but Oliver Glasner’s side outperformed Arsenal. The hosts, most notably Jean-Philippe Mateta, displayed none of the clinical superiority that Jesus had suddenly rediscovered.

The Brazilian, revitalized at Arsenal, scored a goal Premier League A goal in all of 2024, but he scored his second goal of the evening in the first half. For the fifth time this week, Jesus beat Dean Henderson, curling a loose ball from a corner inside the near post.

Jesus was not completely free of his final problems. The number nine hit the post with a header on the cusp of the end of the first half Kai Havertz It was on hand to finish. When presented with a chance from close range on the hour mark, Henderson blocked Jesus’ shot, but another teammate – on this occasion Gabriel Martinelli – cleared the loose ball.

before Arsenal Continuing their lead in the second half, Palace found time to squander two more chances, with Sarr heading a pair of close-range headers into David Raya’s welcome gloves.

Rice added an undeserved layer of gloss to the scoreline in the 85th minute, curling a well-worked effort into the far corner to seal the win that keeps Arsenal within striking distance of Chelsea and Liverpool.

Check out Crystal Palace and Arsenal player ratings here

Despite the convincing result and a narrow gap at the top of the Premier League, Saturday’s result was tinged with a lot of negativity. Most notably, Bukayo Saka only lasted 25 minutes.

The 23-year-old has been Arsenal’s most prolific player and chief creative officer. Saka did not reach the half-hour mark but found time to swing in the cross which led to Jesus’ opener.

While Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have had their moments in his absence at Selhurst Park, the test will be much tougher for these miss-hitting wingers if they are tasked with leading a Saka-less attack for any significant period of time.

If Jesus could play for Crystal Palace every week. The Brazilian striker, a character whose endeavors always go beyond his final product, scored five goals in two matches against the Eagles. Over the past four days, Jesus has scored 20% of his career goals for Arsenal.

Navigating the pockets of uncertainty that existed among Palace’s back three, Jesus could have strengthened his personal stock at Selhurst Park. However, for once, Arsenal’s number nine will be remembered for his goals rather than his blatant misses.

However, the weight of expectations will return once he draws another blank. As Jesus said before the match: “The pressure will always be there to score.”

“I’m sure both sides will change some things,” Arteta warned ahead of Arsenal’s second clash with Palace in four days. However, there were some decorations running through the legs of this double header.

It is a problem caused by a simple forward lump of the Matita. The burly Frenchman fired Palace into the lead at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night after bullying Jacob Kuyor off the ball. Arteta could have explained that lapse by the absence of the starting centre-back duo, but William Saliba and Gabriel faltered in their stride due to a worryingly simplistic approach.

However, it would be unfair to suggest that Palace played exclusively between the draws.

Oliver Glassner should not be underestimated. He was a Europa League winner with Eintracht Frankfurt Four matches are said to be away from home From his loss just two months ago. His Palace side have now opened up a four-point cushion above the relegation zone and, despite successive defeats, provided plenty of encouraging signs against Arsenal.

In the midweek cup loss, Glasner replicated Monaco’s defensive corner setup to limit Arsenal’s effectiveness from set-pieces. Gabriel’s return undermined that approach on Saturday, but the Eagles were able to dampen Arsenal’s pressure for most of the 5-1 defeat.

Martin Odegaard, who struggled in his second successive league start, was always at a loss when jumping forward to press. The Norwegian captain led his side’s first wave of pressure, but was repeatedly overtaken by brave and intricate passes, allowing the hosts ample space to advance into.

Rice starting the game on the bench did not help Arsenal’s poor attempts to clear the ball. Thomas Partey spent most of the game spinning in circles like a tattered old suitcase on an airport luggage carousel, constantly spinning out of reach of either red or blue shirt.

Rice finished off the game with a powerful shot, but his most telling contribution came within two minutes of his introduction in the second half. The in-form midfielder was first to tap in the rebound from Jesus’ shot before skillfully passing the ball to Martinelli.

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