A Christmas Fairytale as Jesus is reborn
Two 3-2s wins for The Arsenal and The Arsenal Women are the perfect Christmas presents, as Jesus hits a treble, and Renee Slegers' side ensure top spot
Hello,
Happy Thursday!
It certainly is after last night’s performances and results from The Arsenal and The Arsenal Women.
Two thrilling 3-2s that saw Mikel Arteta’s side march into the last four of the League Cup, and Renee Slegers’ team ensure top spot - and top seeds - in the draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
I was at the Emirates to cover the Gunners stirring win over Palace, which included Gabriel Jesus first home goal in 367 days - amid a relentless plethora of Christmas/Saviour/Reborn/Rebirth references by literally everyone on social media and match reports.
After such a frustrating first half, it was wonderful to see the eruption of joy that came when the popular Jesus finally managed to score with a superbly dealt, lifted finish, then followed up with a clinical second, and equally thunderous third.
What was instructive was that most knowledgable Gooners who’ve watched Jesus performances over the last year, would know and understand that he has been working so hard on and off the ball, and never gave up, nor felt sorry for himself, let alone dragged the team down. And he duly received his reward for sticking at it against Palace.
It was great to see everyone in such good spirits as the north London rain lashed down. Now for tonight’s draw. Who do you fancy?
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A busy Wednesday
It was a hectic day for me, as I made a flying visit to Meadow Park to hand over a few copies, and collectible cards to the superb women’s journalist Jamie Spangher, who braved the rain at Boredom Wood to spread the Gooner gospel by flogging a few copies for us, before ducking into the press box to cover a brilliant game, brilliantly.
Not to mention the equally brilliant Suzy Lycett (@boodlepim) who took superb shots exclusively for our humble labour of love in appallingly challenging conditions for a sports photographer.
The Gooner is blessed to have such superb support as we continue to grow our coverage of AWFC and the women’s game.
And of course, massive kudos to our resident Arsenal Women’s reporter, the outstanding Freddie Cardy, who, in the space of 48 hours has produced three excellent AWFC exclusives, here, here and here - and while he’s actually supposed to be on his holidays to boot.
We’ve got far, far more to come in 2025, but in the meantime, a massive thank you to everyone on our AWFC digital Gooner Fanzine for their efforts, watch this space for future plans. And see below for a selection of Suzy’s brilliant pics from Meadow Park.
Photographs: Suzy Lycett (@Boodlepim) shot exclusively for the Gooner Fanzine at Meadow Park during Arsenal Women 3-2 Bayern Munich Women
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Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace match report
Here’s my official Morning Star newspaper match report.
Arsenal 3-2 Palace: North London witnesses a Christmas fairytale as Gabriel Jesus is reborn
Jesus hits a memorable hattrick as the Gunners move into the last four of the League Cup
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In Christmas week of all weeks, Jesus finally came alive.
With December 25 fast approaching the previously unheralded, misfiring Arsenal striker showed the world that he is now reborn, after hitting an unexpected hattrick in 27 joyous minutes, to send the Gunners into the last four of the League Cup.
The goals flowed after Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka were introduced at the break, the pair providing all three assists to boost the rejuvenated Jesus, underlining just how important the duo are to the North Londoners hopes of ending the season with silverware.
Speaking after the match, Mikel Arteta said: “So pleased for him, it’s been a long period for him without goals and today to score three goals, the three type of goals he scored tonight as well and many actions he was involved, he looked really sharp”
Arteta made wholesale changes, with one eye on the weekend’s Premier League appointment with the same opponents in south London.
Yet, it was in the competition that the club has only won a measly twice that Jesus shone under lights, grabbing his first home goals in 367 days.
Before kick-off, the team news dropped that the popular, but injury-prone Kieran Tierney would make his first start for Arsenal since the 2023 Community Shield - with the Scottish left-back one of eight changes Arteta made, along with selecting Thomas Partey, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Ethan Nwaneri, Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus to start the match.
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner opted for 18-year-old Caleb Kporha to make his first start for the south Londoners, with the talented teenage defender drafted in for the suspended Daniel Munoz at right wing-back in the only change for the Eagles.
It was interesting to note that Kporha joined Palace at U16s level back in 2021, with his progress broadcast on Channel 4's Football Dreams: The Academy, prior to earning his scholarship a year later.
In a start which reflected the priorities of the managers, Jean-Philippe Mateta put the Eagles ahead after 240 seconds as their 5,000 fans at the other end of the stadium celebrated wildly.
The goal was frustrating from an Arsenal point of view, as it was simply a ball over the top from Eagles keeper Dean Henderson, which the faltering Kiwior failed to deal with. Leaving Palace’s 27-year-old winner of the contest through on goal, before the former Lyon forward slotted past David Raya with aplomb to make it 1-0 to Glasner’s side.
In front of a raucous pre-Christmas crowd, different from the rather more staid support during league games, Trossard fired over when well-placed after being teed up by Raheem Sterling, making a rare start.
On 20 minutes the visitors nearly scored a goal that would have been repeated for decades, with Palace’s dangerous No10 Eberechi Eye underlining their confidence by attempting an audacious lob from the halfway that narrowly flew over the desperately back-pedalling Raya’s head and bar.
Stung, Arsenal pushed forward, with Kporha showing his inexperience by fouling the tricky Trossard after being given the runaround by the Belgium attacker, leading to referee Andrew Madley handing the callow teenager a yellow card.
Just after the half hour mark, Sterling saw his excellent free-kick tipped over by Palace keeper Henderson as Arsenal searched for an equaliser in the north London rain.
As the sides went into the break with Palace in the ascendancy, Arteta decided that Nwaneri would make way for captain Martin Odegaard while Partey was replaced by William Saliba along the Arsenal backline.
The move was soon to pay dividends nine minutes after the interval, as Odegaard teed up the previously misfiring Jesus, who lifted the ball over Henderson and into the Palace net, as the stadium erupted in recognition of their striker who never gave up, despite all his travails.
Not bad a week for the popular Brazil striker who only announced he and his wife were expecting their second child two days previously.
It was good to note the fair-minded Arsenal crowd showed their class to heartily cheer former Gunner Eddie Nketiah as he came on for Palace, on his return to North London
As the rain lashed down the home support also rose to applaud Tierney as Myles Lewis-Skelly replaced him, while Sterling was replaced by Bukayo Saka at the same time as Arsenal hunted for a second goal.
The extra quality told, as Saka set up Jesus to slot home his second, firing low into the far corner to make it 2-1 with nine minutes remaining.
To the joy of everyone assembled the Brazil striker then grabbed his third when powering through the heart of the Palace backline before finishing with confidence to make it 3-1, and seal a popular treble, after Odegaard’s second assist of the night.
Thoughts of Wembley were momentarily quelled, when Nketiah - of all people - pulled a goal back for Palace with five minutes to go, with a superb header, to set up a tense finish.
However, the Arsenal held out to win a thrilling contest that hailed the rebirth of Jesus.
A Christmas fairytale indeed.
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Arsenal Player Ratings:
David Raya: 6.5/10 - Back as a League Cup starter instead of the teenage Stetford and even younger Jack Porter
Thomas Partey: 5/10 - Arteta’s predilection for forcing Partey into the right-back slot yielded predictable results leading to the former Atletico Madrid midfielder being replaced at half time for William Saliba
Jakub Kiwior: 5/10 - Failed to deal with Palace keeper’s ball over the top that saw Jean-Philippe Mateta emerge victorious from their tussle to fire past Raya. Not good enough from the Gunners Polish defender
Jurrien Timber: 7.5/10 - Mikel Arteta opted to field the tough tackling former Ajax defender at centre-back
Kieran Tierney: 6.5/10 - The former Celtic left-back returned to make his first start for Arsenal since the 2023 Community Shield
Jorginho (c): 7/10 - Calm and reliable with a cool head
Mikel Merino: 7/10 - A solid, muscular presence in the heart of battle
Ethan Nwaneri: 6.5/10 - Plenty of tricky touches and silky skills but failed to make an impact in the 45 minutes Arteta allowed the 17-year-old
Jesus: 9/10 - In Christmas week Jesus finally came alive by scoring a hattrick. Showed his undoubted talent as he calmly lifted the ball over Henderson in the Palace goal and into the net to make it 1-1 then put the Gunners ahead with an excellent low shot which every Gooner will hope will spark his resurgence. Then hit his third as the Emirates erupted in dep joy. Not a bad week for the Arsenal striker after he and his wife announced they were expecting their second child
Leandro Trossard: 6/10 - Fired over when well-placed after being teed up by Sterling
Raheem Sterling: 6/10 - Saw an excellent first half free-kick tipped over by Henderson. Also hit the post and went close in an encouraging performance
Substitutes:
Martin Odegaard: 8/10 - Replaced Nwaneri at half time and immediately made an impact by setting up Jesus for his equaliser, then providing his second assist for the Brazil striker’s memorable hattrick
William Saliba: 7/10 - Switched with Partey at right-back during the interval
Bukayo Saka: 7.5/10 - Showed his class by provided an assist for Jesus second goal
Myles Lewis-Skelly: 7/10 - Swapped with Tierney as both players received a hearty ovation
Gabriel: 7/10 - Replaced Kiwior late on
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DAILY LIST
I - Finish my Mundial long-form feature Seaching for Sylvinho after my recent trip to Tirana
II - No Arteta presser for me on Friday as I’m sticking to a long-term promise I made to my youngest daughter and will be taking her to London for Christmas shopping.
III - And seeing as I’m heading to Selhurst Park as a fan rather than a journalist on Saturday, my old Gooner pals and me are currently arranging which pub to meet in for a hearty pre-Christmas drink before heading to the away end.
See you at Selhurst, cheers