Crystal Palace vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Gunners run riot with five goals
Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal: Mikel Arteta’s men stormed to victory to lay down a marker in the title race
Arsenal cruised to victory against Crystal Palace with a 5-1 win at Selhurst Park to keep their chances of winning the Premier League title well and truly alive.
Following their 3-2 loss to the Gunners in the Carabao Cup during the week, Palace started the match in an aggressive and well controlled way but they were undone once again by Gabriel Jesus.
The Arsenal man scored a hat-trick against the Eagles in the league cup and added two more on Saturday evening, either side of Ismaila Sarr’s consolation goal, to give Arsenal complete control of the game.
He could have had a third after heading an effort onto the post but the goal came when Kai Havertz turned in the rebound. Two more were added, by Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice in the second half, to secure a fine victory for the Gunners who put a touch of pressure on their rivals who play tomorrow.
Relive the action from Selhurst Park with our live blog below:
‘I had pressure on my shoulders to score’: Gabriel Jesus on hat-trick
Gabriel Jesus admitted he was under pressure to deliver for Arsenal prior to his goal blitz which sealed his side’s progression to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Heading into Wednesday’s last-eight fixture with Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, Jesus had scored just once this season – in the previous round against Preston – and only twice in 2024.
But Jesus rolled back the years to score a 27-minute second-half treble as Arsenal staged a fightback to see off Palace and book their place in the final four.
“I had pressure on my shoulders to score,” said Jesus. “Against Monaco I missed two clear chances. Obviously, I was disappointed that I didn’t score in that game.
“I just had to keep my mind clear and strong, work like I work with (attacking coach, Hussein) Isa every day and he told me: ‘Look Gabby, you’re quality, you need to be calm and then you’ll score.’
‘I was terrified’: Mikel Arteta recalls fear during first days as Arsenal boss
Mikel Arteta admits he was initially “terrified” when he took over at Arsenal five years ago but he is now relishing the challenge of pursuing perfection.
The 42-year-old is the Premier League’s third longest-serving manager after overhauling his club’s culture and transforming the Gunners into bona-fide title contenders.
Arteta is now thriving under the constant pressure, but confesses there was once a time when the whole project felt a bit daunting.
‘I was terrified’: Mikel Arteta recalls fear during first days as Arsenal boss
The 42-year-old is the Premier League’s third longest-serving manager after overhauling his club’s culture.
Crystal Palace blow as Eze ruled out
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner on Eberechi Eze’s injury:
“He got a hit against Brighton on his foot. He played with quite a swollen foot at the Emirates and also got the next kick there, so he is not 100 per cent.
“We need every player 100 per cent, so it makes sense. We decided that he gets a rest and hopefully he will be available for Bournemouth.
“It doesn’t look serious, but you have to wear the boots, kick the ball and it is painful. It is not that free in terms of movement.
“You always feel pain when you move and then you are thinking too much about this and can’t play how you can play.
“We need the best Eberechi Eze he can be and therefore he has to be fit like all the other players.”
Mikel Arteta celebrates five-year Arsenal anniversary
Mikel Arteta insists he is not thinking too far ahead about his long-term future on the five-year anniversary of his appointment as Arsenal boss.
Arteta, who takes his side to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday after knocking them out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, took over a struggling 10th-placed side three weeks after Unai Emery had been sacked.
He has since transformed the North Londoners - and remains emphatic about how much he enjoys the role - but when asked to picture himself in the same chair come 2029 admitted it felt a bit too far in the distance.
Put to him if he could imagine himself as Arsenal boss another five years down the line, Arteta instantly replied: “No. I mean, I think you have to live in the present in this job, and obviously you have to plan for what’s coming in the mid-term and long-term, that’s for sure, and we have a lot of conversations regarding that.
“But I think the energy has to be in the moment, paying attention to every detail and understanding how things are working, putting more processes in place to make better decisions, and always have that aim to keep everybody in this fit, to get the best out of them, and make sure they feel part of what they do.”
Arsenal hope to come unstuck at Selhurst Park
Arsenal have drawn their last two Premier League games, with a 0-0 against Everton following the 1-1 at Fulham two weeks ago.
It’s been three games since Arsenal scored from open play in the Premier League, with their last three goals coming from corners.
But the Gunners, inspired by Gabriel Jesus, found some form in the Carabao Cup in midweek. They travel to Selhurst Park for a second match agianst Crystal Palace in four days.
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal odds
Odds
Crystal Palace win 4/1
Draw 23/10
Arsenal win 1/2
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What is the Arsenal team news?
Mikel Arteta made eight changes to his starting line-up for the midweek clash with Crystal Palace but expect him to revert to a stonger line-up for this afternoon’s fixture with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard returning. Ben White (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss out with respective knee injuries and the match seems too soon for returns from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Riccardo Calafiori.
What is the Crystal Palace team news?
Crystal Palace have been dealt a major blow ahead of their revenge mission against Arsenal after key midfielder Eberechi Eze was ruled out.
England international Eze will sit out Saturday’s game at Selhurst Park after aggravating an existing foot injury against the Gunners during Wednesday evening’s 3-2 Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat at the Emirates Stadium.
Daniel Munoz is suspended and will miss the match with Nathaniel Clyne expected to return in his place. Joel Ward could also return from a calf problem but Adam Wharton, Matheus Franca, Rob Holding and Chadi Riad should all miss out again.
When is Crystal Palace vs Arsenal?
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal is due to kick off at 5.30pm GMT on Saturday, 21 December at Selhurst Park in London.
Where can I watch the match?
The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 5pm. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
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Good afternoon
Crystal Palace host Arsenal at Selhurst Park in a repeat fixture from the Carabao Cup quarter-finals where the Gunners completed a fine comeback to triumph 3-2 on Wednesday evening.
Gabriel Jesus scored a second-half hat-trick following Jean-Philippe Mateta’s opener to send his team in the league cup final four despite a late consolation from ex-Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will be hoping for a similar result this afternoon as Arsenal look to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to just three points when they face Palace in Saturday’s late kick off.
For their part, Palace are four points clear of the relegation zone and hope to continue a fine run of league fixtures which has seen them go unbeaten for the last five games.
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