December 18 marks one year since Gabriel Jesus last scored at the Emirates. However, in the League Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace, the Brazilian striker made a strong impression with a hat-trick, helping The Gunners win a dramatic 3-2.
This is not only an important victory for Arsenal to advance to the semi-finals but also a clear message about the strong return of Jesus, one of the factors considered to be key under Mikel Arteta but has not yet shown his full talent.
Before the match, Arsenal were in a period of stagnation with 2 consecutive draws in the Premier League against Fulham and Everton. Despite possessing an outstanding ball possession rate, Mikel Arteta's team lacked sharpness in attack, leading to results that were not as expected.
In the early stages of the match against Crystal Palace, Arsenal continued to face difficulties with a crowded defense and tight play from the away team. Jakub Kiwior even made a mistake for Jean- Philippe Mateta to open the scoring in the 4th minute. However, the turning point came in the second half, when Gabriel Jesus proved his worth.
The 27-year-old striker scored 3 goals with 3 different finishing styles. First was a delicate chip from goalkeeper Dean Henderson, second was a decisive cross-angle shot and finally a calm shot after running halfway. These goals not only boosted the Brazilian striker's confidence but also created strong motivation for the whole team.
I am very happy for Gabi. It's been a long time since he scored. Three goals against Crystal Palace and his contribution to the game made him look sharp. He is a high-quality player with the way he creates and handles situations. Gabi's class is a great asset for Arsenal" - Mikel Arteta shared.
The Spanish strategist highly appreciates Gabriel Jesus' diverse scoring ability as having every reason. In previous stalemates, The Gunners often lacked a player who could make moves behind the opponent's defense. This made Arsenal's attacking situations depend only on crosses or breakthroughs from the two wingers.
Notably, one of the key factors that helped Arsenal beat Crystal Palace in the second half was Mikel Arteta's tactical changes. Kieran Tierney was used as a classic full-back, not playing in the back position as before. This allowed the Scotsman to take advantage of his speed and mobility to participate in supporting attacks more effectively.
The combination of Tierney and Trossard, who dropped deep to create space for the left wing, created a breakthrough in Arsenal's playing style. From these situations, the "Gunners" not only stretched Palace's defense but also helped Martin Odegaard promote his ability to create with delicate passes such as the one that led to Jesus' equalizer.
In the first half, the central area was often blocked by a large number of Crystal Palace players. However, after the adjustment, Arsenal played more directly, using many reverse passes to central players such as Trossard and Saka. This is a factor that helps the Emirates team regain flexibility and effectiveness in attack.
The victory over Crystal Palace is not only an opportunity for Gabriel Jesus to regain his confidence but also an important stepping stone for Arsenal in the face of upcoming challenges. The whole team needs to maintain this momentum to avoid falling into a situation like the match against Nottingham Forest in January, when Jesus scored the decisive goal but then failed to score for many months.
