Arteta hails Jesus’ form but frets over mounting injury woes

Gabriel Jesus delivered another standout performance as Arsenal stormed to a 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace, ending a Premier League goal drought that had stretched back to January.

Fresh off his Carabao Cup hat-trick, the Brazilian striker made an immediate impact, scoring twice in the first 15 minutes to put the Gunners in control.

Jesus opened the scoring in the sixth minute, reacting quickly to slot home a loose ball at the back post.

Though Ismaïla Sarr briefly pulled Palace level, Jesus responded with a powerful strike that gave Dean Henderson no chance, restoring Arsenal’s lead.

The game wasn’t all smooth sailing for Arsenal, especially after Bukayo Saka left the pitch with a hamstring injury.

But, just before halftime, Jesus hit the post, and Kai Havertz was on hand to turn in the rebound, giving Arsenal a comfortable cushion heading into the break.

Palace tried to fight back after halftime but couldn’t find a way past David Raya in Arsenal’s goal.

Gabriel Martinelli put the game beyond doubt with a reactive finish in the 60th minute, and Declan Rice added a fifth in stoppage time to cap off a dominant performance.

The win leaves Arsenal just three points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, although they have two games in hand.

Arteta reflects on Jesus’ resurgence and injury concerns

In his post-match press conference, Mikel Arteta shared his thoughts on Gabriel Jesus’ performance and addressed the injury concerns plaguing his squad. On Bukayo Saka’s hamstring issue, Arteta expressed concern: “He felt something in his hamstring, he couldn’t continue, and he’ll have to be assessed. So, we’re really worried about that one.”

The manager also lamented the impact of the congested schedule on his squad’s fitness, noting: “With the amount of games that we are playing every three days with this schedule, it doesn’t surprise me, but the team will react to that.”

Turning to Jesus’ outstanding week, Arteta was effusive: “He’s scored the same amount in 45 appearances in three days, he scored five goals, and he could have scored a hat-trick today. Great credit to him because he’s put so much work into it, so much belief into what he does.”

Arteta also highlighted the role of Declan Rice in securing control during the game, explaining: “When Rice came on, he changed the game, he gave us more dominance, still the same threat but we were much better.”

The manager’s reflection on Arsenal’s overall form offered a sense of optimism: “Looking at the 10 games, no defeats in the last seven. We’ve won five and gotten two draws, and we’ve deserved to win all of them so it’s good.”

As for the big-picture question of competing for the league title, Arteta remained measured: “At the moment, we are not there yet, and they have a few games in hand. It’s so difficult for any team to win it in any competition so anything can happen.”

The challenge now will be to maintain this momentum and navigate the mounting injury concerns. Arteta’s focus on preparation and persistence was clear: “You have to prepare for the opportunity, that’s it. You fail to prepare when you have the chance, it’s not going to happen, and that’s clear.”

With Gabriel Jesus back to his best, Arsenal look poised to stay in contention as they continue to battle on multiple fronts.