GOALS from Gabriel Jesus and London buses: you wait ages for one and then three come along at once.
The Arsenal striker started this Carabao Cup quarter final with one goal to his name all season – and just TWO for the club in the entirety of 2024.
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But when the Gunners needed him, the Brazilian finally stepped up – netting a trio to down Crystal Palace for his first club hat-trick since his Manchester City days back in April 2022.
His second in the 73rd minute – completing the comeback after Jean Philippe-Mateta’s shock fourth minute opener – probably should not have counted. The absent VAR missing a narrow offside.
But given Jesus’ woeful form in front of goal – and general lack of confidence in an Arsenal shirt as of late – it would be cruel to focus on that. This was his best game for the club in months, maybe years.
And boy did Mikel Arteta need it, almost seeing his decision to make EIGHT changes for this one backfire, even if Eddie Nketiah briefly made things nervy with a late goal on his Emirates return.
On the cusp of his five-year anniversary in charge of Arsenal, the chance to return to Wembley and add to their sole FA Cup triumph in 2020 is still alive – just.
If they get to the final of this competition in February, Arteta certainly will not be resting William Saliba, Gabriel, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz like he did here.
Palace had a plan from the off, and that involved lumping balls long so Mateta could test the mettle of Jakub Kiwior in the air.
It did not take long for it to pay off. Dean Henderson’s hoof from his own six-yard box swirled in the wind and rain and Kiwior did not fancy meeting it first time.
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The Polish international committed a crime against defenders and let it bounce, allowing Mateta to muscle in, race clear and calmly slot into David Raya’s far corner.
The packed-out extended away end was rattling. Kiwior was rattled, minutes later losing a tussle with Ismaila Sarr allowing a dangerous cross into the box.
Kiwior’s nerves gave his teammates a jolt and chances followed. Leandro Trossard blazed over from Raheem Sterling’s cutback.
Yet Palace were comfortable. Sarr nipped in ahead of a sleepy Jesus and the Eagles striker saw his deflected effort denied by Raya’s legs.
The visitors were so relaxed that they tried trick shots. Eberechi Eze tried to lob Raya from just inside the Arsenal half.
Fairly toothless from open play – yet again this season – Sterling came close with a free-kick that was well tipped over by Henderson.
But Arteta remained unmoved, frustrated.
With the rest of the Gunners squad receiving an earful from Arteta at half-time, the home fans were given a sneak peak of the changes that simply had to be made to resurrect the game.
Odegaard – in full kit – was put through his paces around some cones in the rain and applauding the crowd. The saviour was on his way.
Saliba joined the Norwegian in a necessary shake-up. Off came Thomas Partey with Jurrien Timber switched to a more natural right-back role. Nwaneri was sacrificed for a more experienced creator.
Unsurprisingly, there was an instant impact, as well as a miss-of-the-season contender – and likely winner.
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Kieran Tierney – starting his first game for six months and first for Arsenal since May 2023 – bombed forward and his low cross found its way to an unmarked Sterling at the back post. His first effort was poor, straight at Henderson.
His second was abysmal, managing to scoop the rebound off the bar with an open goal gaping from one yard out.
It was a head-in-hands moment of disbelief. In the 52nd minute, Timber dithered in the box when shooting would have been easier.
Two minutes later, the breakthrough.
The release of tension. Odegaard’s divine ball to split the Palace defence was a beauty, as was Jesus’ chipped finish after hurdling a Trevor Chalobah lunge.
Jesus was looking like his old self, zipping and spinning with a confidence and almost poked past Henderson just after the hour mark as Arsenal strengthened further in the 68th minute.
Tierney’s race was run, replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly and Sterling made way for Saka – another sub whose impact was mighty, teeing up Jesus and Arsenal’s second.
Saka’s pass for Jesus would have surely been pulled back for offside with VAR present, but the finish was unexpectedly lethal into the side-netting regardless.
And on a speedy counter, Jesus was in again, surely struggling to believe the time he had to nick a third and a semi-final place before Nketiah’s crafty 85th minute header added some spice.
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