Christmas comes early as Arsenal boosted by Jesus' form
The Gabriel Their Side's Of Arsenal's Jesus, Celebrates Game Left, Scoring First Goal
MIKEL Arteta marches on with his side scoring five goals or more for the sixth time this year. Not a trophy but another Premier League first for Arsenal but much of the talk after this match centred around the hamstring injury to his talisman Bukayo Saka.
The England winger’s test results will be communicated Monday. He is likely to be out for much of next month. It is a blow when his most likely replacement Raheem Sterling is also injured, and they have eight matches in January, including five big cup matches. The thing is, Arsenal have enjoyed a marginally better win percentage without Saka during Arteta’s five years as manager. Maybe not too much cause for concern and a panic buy in next month’s transfer window after all?
Arteta can bring in players such as teenager Ethan Nwaneri. Gabriel Martinelli was superb filling in for Saka in this match. And it is the boy from Brazil and his fellow South American countryman Gabriel Jesus Arteta will now rely on to drive his team on through Christmas and into the New Year. Jesus followed up his midweek hat-trick that knocked Palace out of the League Cup with Arsenal’s first two goals at Selhurst Park. He could and should have had at least another hat trick as he scored more in 14 minutes than in all of his previous 24 Premier League matches.
Martinelli, who scored Arsenal’s fourth, said afterwards: “Not just me, I think the whole club is really happy for him. He really deserves that. He's a guy who tries to help everyone around the club: the youngest players, the oldest, everyone. He deserves it.”
Arteta was ebullient about a sharper-looking Jesus pre-season, describing his recalibrated training sessions, improved diet and all round re-evaluation of his attributes. An injury curtailed their plans to unleash the 2.0 version of the former Manchester City striker, but maybe now it is going to pay off. The 27-year-old, with four Premier League titles to his name, appeared as fresh as any player at the end of the match and was still as enthusiastic when he addressed the media afterwards to discuss his return to form.
“At one point I was feeling that [pressure] but still I never doubted my quality,” he conceded. “I never doubted I can score goals. Obviously when you are having a bad moment you have to keep your mind strong, and that's what I tried to do. Sometimes I know when I played and leave with a smile on my face everything is different because I am grateful to God, he's great with me and it's impossible to do it without him.
"I hope [this run will continue] if I manage to put myself in a good position to finish. I have a good chance to score more goals because I know how to score and can score. Sometimes I switch off in the position but once again tonight I was in the right positions to score.”
Confirming Arteta’s explanation of how he has challenged Jesus to focus more on finishing, Jesus added: “I understand I have to be more in the box to finish the action. It is great to be back in the team playing more. I am experienced enough and know when a player is playing constantly it is different. I am happy to get more chances, but it is up to me to put myself in the right places to score. It is Arsenal, it is a huge club and I know the pressure for the number nine to score is there."
For Martinelli, another player rekindling his fire, it emerged he had been inspired by a pre-match message of encouragement from former Arsenal and Palace forward Ian Wright. The pair had a brief exchange after the match too. Martinelli said: “You have played the game, you know how tough it is to be on this side, and I'd like to say thank you, legend, for the message that you sent me the other day. It means a lot to me.”
Palace, meanwhile, sit uncomfortably just above the relegation zone having succumbed to their first defeat in six matches. Their captain, defender Marc Guehi, said: “When we look back on it we didn't defend well and playing a top team like Arsenal, you make any type of mistake, they will punish you. We have to take this game with a pinch of salt, look at the areas we can improve and go again. It's the Premier League – you have to go again."
Arsenal can approach the visit of struggling Ipswich on Friday night with renewed confidence. They are scoring for fun, with or without set pieces and are now 10 games unbeaten, albeit they dropped points with draws against Fulham and Everton in their two preceding games.
Henderson 6, Mitchel 6, Lacroix 6, Guehi 6, Sarr 8, Lerma 6 (Doucoure 68), Mateta 6 (Schlupp 81), Clyne 5 (Kporha 81), Kamada 5 (Nketiah 61), Hughes 6 (Devenny 69), Richards 5.
: Turner, War, Chalobah, Agbinone.
: Raya 8, Timber 7, Saliba 6, Gabriel 7, Lewis-Skelly 6 (Calafiori); Partey 6 Odegaard 6, Havertz 6 (Rice 58); Martinelli 7, Jesus 8, Saka 6 (Trossard 24).
: Neto, Tierney, Kiwior, Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri.
Simon Hooper 6.
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