Gabriel Jesus punishes Palace again as five-star Arsenal close gap on Liverpool

Gabriel Jesus’ first-half brace fired Arsenal to an emphatic 5-1 win against Crystal Palace to take them within three points of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

Just three days after his hat-trick propelled Arsenal through to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, Jesus was back among the goals after he scored either side of Ismaila Sarr’s strike in a frenetic opening 15 minutes at Selhurst Park.

Kai Havertz netted Arsenal’s third, seven minutes before the interval, and Gabriel Martinelli added another for the visitors on the hour mark. Declan Rice then completed the rout six minutes from time.

Following consecutive draws in the league, Arsenal’s five-star triumph in south London keeps them hot on Liverpool’s heels with the Reds – who have two games in hand over the Gunners – in action at Tottenham on Sunday.

It was the sixth time in 2024 that Arsenal scored five goals or more away from home – the most by an English top-flight club in a calendar year.

The only sour note for manager Mikel Arteta arrived after 22 minutes when Bukayo Saka was forced off with a hamstring injury. Saka headed straight down the tunnel and looks set for a spell on the sidelines.

Jesus scored a 27-minute treble in Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Palace at the Emirates on Wednesday. And the in-form Brazilian was on the scoresheet inside six minutes here.

Tyrick Mitchell failed to deal with Saka’s cross and the ball fell to Jesus who sent Dean Henderson the wrong way as he thrashed home. It was a clinical finish and remarkably marked Jesus’ first goal in the Premier League in 326 days.

The home side were on level terms just five minutes later.

Moments after David Raya invited pressure with a poor pass to Thomas Partey, Sarr was bearing down on the Spaniard’s goal. William Saliba afforded his opponent too much time, and Sarr picked his spot before curling a fine effort past Raya.

Selhurst Park came alive but they were silenced four minutes later – and it was Jesus again.

Palace failed to deal with Arsenal’s opening corner of the game, allowing Partey to control the ball and then laying it off to an unmarked Jesus who fired into the net – the striker’s seventh goal this year, with five coming in the last 72 hours against Palace.

The hosts provided a speedy response with Raya forced to pull off a super stop to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Arsenal came scampering down the other end through Saka, but after he crossed for Martin Odegaard, the England man pulled up, clutching his right hamstring. Saka immediately signalled to the bench and then collapsed to the turf. He was unable to continue and limped straight down the tunnel.

The Gunners were undeterred by the blow and Gabriel’s header from Odegaard’s corner rattled Henderson’s crossbar.

However, less than a minute later, Havertz provided Arsenal with a two-goal advantage at the break. Martinelli’s cross was met by Jesus, who came within inches of completing back-to-back hat-tricks. His angled header rebounded off the foot of Henderson’s post, and the ball fell to an unmarked Havertz, who could not miss.

The second half was barely a minute old when Raya leapt to his right to stop Sarr’s diving header. Raya was back in action seven minutes later as he parried Mateta’s long-range strike before getting back to his feet to save Sarr’s follow-up effort.

But Arsenal scored the next goal. Jesus looked set to convert Leandro Trossard’s cross only for Henderson to deny him, but Rice’s effort was diverted in by Martinelli.

And with five minutes left, Rice put the gloss on a fine night for Arteta – who is celebrating five years in charge of Arsenal – when he beat Henderson from the edge of the penalty area with a pinpoint curling effort.