By 90min | Created at 2024-12-21 19:58:31 | Updated at 2024-12-29 01:15:38
1 week ago
Crystal Palace were consigned to a 5-1 defeat by a ruthless, if not entirely dominant, Arsenal side on Saturday evening.
Fresh from a rousing Carabao Cup comeback against Palace at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, Arsenal picked up from where they left off. Midweek hat-trick hero Gabriel Jesus fired the Gunners into a sixth-minute lead at Selhurst Park, collecting Bukayo Saka's deep cross at the back post before firing beyond Dean Henderson.
Ismaila Sarr struck back for the visitors just five minutes later, finishing off a crisp passing sequence with a stroke into the far corner. In a wild first half which saw a torrent of chances for both sides, Arsenal had the cutting edge which Palace lacked.
Jesus rattled in his second of the evening from a 14th-minute corner while Jean-Philippe Mateta was foiled at the other end by David Raya. Arsenal's in-form Brazilian came the width of the post away from his second hat-trick of the week, glancing a header against the woodwork, but Kai Havertz was on hand to mop up the rebound.
Leandro Trossard - a first-half replacement for the injured Saka - broke Palace's advancing offside trap shortly after the hour mark. The Belgian squared for Jesus who had his close-range effort rebuffed by Henderson. Declan Rice, another substitute, was on hand to funnel the loose ball into the stride of Gabriel Martinelli, extending Arsenal's lead to 4-1.
Palace were unfortunate to trail by three goals, but had lost all their zip and fizz by the time Rice added a fifth for the Gunners in the 85th minute. That deflected effort sealed three points which lifted Arsenal back into third place. The Gunners trail Chelsea by a point and are three adrift of Liverpool before both clubs are in action on Sunday.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (left) and Ismaila Sarr celebrate Crystal Palace's opener / GLYN KIRK/GettyImages
GK: Dean Henderson | 4.0/10 |
RWB: Nathaniel Clyne | 6.1/10 |
CB: Chris Richards | 4.5/10 |
CB: Maxence Lacroix | 5.9/10 |
CB: Marc Guehi | 5.8/10 |
LWB: Tyrick Mitchell | 7.6/10 |
RM: Ismaila Sarr | 8.0/10 |
CM: Will Hughes | 6.4/10 |
CM: Jefferson Lerma | 6.3/10 |
LM: Daichi Kamada | 6.1/10 |
ST: Jean-Philippe Mateta | 6.9/10 |
SUB: Eddie Nketiah (61' for Kamada) | 6.0/10 |
SUB: Cheick Doucoure (68' for Lerma) | 6.0/10 |
SUB: Justin Devenny (69' for Hughes) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Caleb Kporha (81' for Clyne) | N/A |
SUB: Jeffrey Schlupp (81' for Mateta) | N/A |
Subs not used: Matt Turner (GK), Joel Ward, Trevoh Chalobah, Asher Agbinone
Arsenal player ratings (5-4-1)
Kai Havertz had a poignant celebration for Arsenal's third goal of the afternoon / Alex Pantling/GettyImages
GK: David Raya | 8.0/10 |
RB: Jurrien Timber | 7.2/10 |
CB: William Saliba | 6.8/10 |
CB: Gabriel | 7.6/10 |
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly | 6.7/10 |
CM: Martin Odegaard | 6.9/10 |
CM: Thomas Partey | 7.9/10 |
CM: Kai Havertz | 8.1/10 |
RW: Bukayo Saka | 6.2/10 |
ST: Gabriel Jesus | 9.2/10 |
LW: Gabriel Martinelli | 7.9/10 |
SUB: Leandro Trossard (24' for Saka) | 6.4/10 |
SUB: Riccardo Calafiori (58' for Lewis-Skelly) | 7.8/10 |
SUB: Declan Rice (58' for Havertz) | 8.4/10 |
SUB: Ethan Nwaneri (86' for Jesus) | N/A |
SUB: Mikel Merino (86' for Timber) | N/A |
Subs not used: Neto (GK), Jakub Kiwior, Kieran Tierney, Jorginho
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