Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus Scores Twice As Gunners Storm To Victory At Selhurst Park To Move Within Three Points Of League Leaders Liverpool - Sportsnewsfoot

These two teams have conjured 10 goals in their back-to-back meetings over the space of four days and Gabriel Jesus has scored five of them.

The Arsenal striker followed up his hat-trick in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup with a brace to open his Premier League account for the season as Mikel Arteta closed the gap to leaders Liverpool to just three points.

In truth the Brazil international had ample opportunities to notch consecutive hat-tricks, missing three other excellent chances to nab another match-ball.

Not that Jesus will be too downhearted, of course. Following a dismal start to his campaign, Jesus has emerged as Arsenal’s man of the moment.

Much has been made of Arsenal’s lack of a prolific goalscorer, but in this form Jesus remains one of the most adept in the business.

Palace will argue the 4-1 scoreline flattered their opponents. There’s some credibility to those claims.

Gabriel Jesus scored twice inside the opening 15 minutes at Selhurst Park

It took the Brazilian’s tally to five goals in three days against Crystal Palace

Ismaila Sarr did level for Palace in a breathless start, but that’s as good as it got for the hosts

Oliver Glasner’s team had the Gunners rattled on occasion, had they’d shown Arsenal’s ruthlessness in front of goal then we may be telling a different story.

But Arsenal were clinical when Palace weren’t – that is the only story worth telling.

Arsenal inflicted the majority of the damage during a breathless first half.

Arsenal drew first blood, Jesus firing the visitor’s ahead at the back post after an disorganised Palace defence failed to deal with Saka’s back-post delivery in the sixth minute.

The early goal provided instant reward for Arteta’s brave team selection as he sought to quell a recent narrative that his side lack creativity.

Declan Rice and Mikel Merino were left on the bench, with attack minded Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz preferred in midfield alongside solitary defensive pivot Thomas Partey.

And while the decision paid early dividends, Palace found themselves level just five minutes later when Ismaila Sarr sweetly finished a flowing move that included Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guehi, Jefferson Herman and Tyrick Mitchell.

It was a strike former Palace heroes Wilfried Zaha and Michael Olise – who were both in the stands here – both would have been proud of.

Palace swept through Arsenal’s midfield like it was non-existent. The control we’ve come to expect with Arteta’s Arsenal evaporating into the winter air.

Bukayo Saka went off injured midway through the first half, but Arsenal coped without him

Kai Havrtz gave Arsenal some breathing space before half time as he tapped home after Jesus’ header came back off the post

Yet Arsenal were quick to respond; four minutes it took for the title chasers to retake the lead as Jesus beautifully struck beyond Dean Henderson at his near post as Palace failed to deal with the Gunners’ latest successful corner kick.

But even then you sensed the Gunners weren’t managing the game quite as Arteta would have liked – Jean-Philippe Mateta squandering Palace’s best chance to equalise for a second time after his close range effort, following William Saliba’s uncharacteristic mistake, was crucially stopped by David Raya in the 21st minute.

The sight of Bukayo Saka falling to his haunches before limping off holding the back of his right leg won’t have eased Arteta’s anxieties.

With the games coming thick and fast during the festive period, Arteta will be hoping for positive news regarding his brilliant England international.

Havertz, though, was on hand in the 38th minute to bring a smile to his manager’s face, tapped home at the back post after Jesus initially headed Gabriel Martinelli’s cross onto the foot of the post.

The Arsenal goalscorer looked for the all the world that he was in an offside position but Mitchell, who was tracking Martinelli’s run down, played Havertz onside.

It wasn’t like Palace hadn’t been warned, either. Just seconds prior to Havertz’s goal, Gabriel Magalhaes struck the crossbar from Odegaard’s corner.

Sarr missed an excellent chance to cut Arsenal’s deficit a minute after the restart but his diving header from Nathaniel Clyne’s cross, via Mateta’s deft flick, was saved by Raya.

The Spanish keeper’s next contribution was a double save, initially saving Mateta’s driven effort from distance before stopping Sarr’s header from the rebound.

Gabriel Martinelli put the result beyond doubt when he tapped home Declan Rice’s shot

Rice then got a goal of his own after coming off the bench to round off a dominant win

It was the perfect way for Mikel Arteta to celebrate five years in charge of Arsenal

Arsenal were leading, but it didn’t feel like it. They were hurried rather composed. Nervous rather than confident.

It came as no surprise that Arteta dragged Rice from the bench in the 58th minute to replace Havertz. Arteta also brought on fit-again Ricardo Calafiori in place of teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly, who’d had a solid game.

It was a clear sign, that despite Arsenal’s lead, Arteta wasn’t necessarily comfortable. He didn’t have to wait long, though, for the serenity he craved.

Substitute Rice was at the centre of Arsenal’s fourth on the hour mark, his blocked effort fired home by Martinelli to give Arsenal an unassailable cushion.

Glasner threw on former Gunners striker Eddie Nketiah in hope of sparking a turnaround but the horse at bolted by this point.

Indeed, Arsenal grabbed a fifth in the 85th minute when Rice beautifully stroked home to give the away fans an early Christmas present.