Gabriel Jesus bagged a second-half hat trick as Arsenal came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 and move into the Carabao Cup semifinals at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
Palace had Arsenal reeling in the fourth minute when Jean-Philippe Mateta nudged aside Gunners defender Jakub Kiwior to latch onto a long ball and side-foot home.
But Arsenal thoroughly dominated the second half and Jesus equalised in the 54th minute when Martin Ødegaard sent a beautiful through ball into the box and the Brazil international chipped the ball over Dean Henderson.
Jesus netted his second in the 73rd minute when Bukayo Saka slipped the ball through for him to hammer home.
He completed his hat trick eight minutes later when he ran onto a ball from Ødegaard behind Palace’s back line before firing past Henderson.
“So pleased for [Jesus]. It’s been a long period for him without goals,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told reporters. “To score the three types of goals and the many actions that he was involved in, it’s a great thing for the team that we can rely on a player with such quality.”
Former Arsenal player Eddie Nketiah pulled one back for Palace late on when he leapt high to head home past David Raya.
In the other quarterfinal matches, holders Liverpool booked their berth in the semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium, thanks to goals from Darwin Núñez and Harvey Elliott.
ESPN
