Headline : Gabriels bring tidings of joy for Arsenal in thrashing of sorry Crystal Palace

Read more from the original article on here at www.theguardian.com.

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This was almost the perfect way for Mikel Arteta to celebrate five years as Arsenal manager. Another two goals for Gabriel Jesus – his first in the Premier League since January – followed up his match-winning performance against the same opponents a few days ago as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and the substitute Declan Rice with his first league goal of the season rounded off another ­victory over Crystal Palace.

Only the sight of Bukayo Saka limping off during the first half with a suspected hamstring injury could dampen the enthusiasm of the travelling fans, whose side have scored five or more goals in six away games in all competitions in 2024 – the most ever by an English top-flight club in a calendar year. More importantly, they are now only three points behind the leaders, Liverpool – albeit having played two games more. But with Manchester City six points behind Arsenal and almost a speck of dust in their rear-view mirror, Arteta will know they have never had a better chance to go all the way after clinically ­dispatching Oliver Glasner’s side.

“At the moment we are not there yet and they have a few games in hand,” Arteta said. “It’s so difficult for any team to win but anything can happen. We want to put our noses right in there and compete in the way that we are and let’s see what happens.”

Before the game Arteta had said Jesus “deserves to play” after his hat-trick heroics in the Carabao Cup and it took only six minutes for him to repay that faith. While Arteta made seven changes as Havertz shifted to midfield, Glasner rotated his defence after they were outclassed in the second half of Wednesday’s quarter-final defeat, with Trevoh Chalobah dropped in favour of Chris Richards – the first time in 12 matches that Palace have changed their back three. They were all over the place when Saka swung over a cross and Tyrick Mitchell could not prevent Jesus slamming home from close range when the ball fell kindly at his feet.

Read more from the original article on here at www.theguardian.com.

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