Gabriel Jesus: 'Unique' Arsenal striker gives Mikel Arteta selection headache after treble - ‘Good problem to have’

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A hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus inspired Arsenal to come back from a goal down against Crystal Palace and book their place in the League Cup semi-finals. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was happy to see his striker score following a difficult goal drought and a lengthy run of poor form for the Brazilian, and insisted that Arsenal can rely on his "unique" skill-set.

Arteta 'so pleased' for Jesus after hat-trick helps Arsenal to EFL Cup semis

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Mikel Arteta was quick to praise Gabriel Jesus after the striker's hat-trick inspired Arsenal to a comeback win against Crystal Palace in the League Cup on Wednesday.

Palace opened the scoring with a goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta within five minutes, but three goals from Jesus in the second half saw Arteta's side on their way to the semi-finals with a 3-1 lead, before former Gunner Eddie Nketiah scored late.

It is the type of performance that Arsenal have desperately needed from the former City striker, who endured a painful nine-month goal drought before scoring against Preston in the same competition in November.

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The Brazilian has yet to score in the Premier League, but Arsenal fans and Arteta alike will be hoping he can use the Palace performance as a springboard into better form.

"I'm so pleased for him," Arteta said following the win. "Obviously, it's been a long period for him without goals. And today to score the three goals, the three type of goals that he has scored as well, and many actions that he was involved in.

"He looked really sharp. I think it's a great thing for him, is a great thing for the team as well, that we can rely on a player of such quality."

Arteta continued: "He brings something. He has a quality, he has a way of creating, generating, situations that is quite unique. So Gabby at that level [is] obviously is a big asset for us."

Arsenal face Palace once again on Saturday, this time in the league, and Jesus could find himself in the starting line-up again as The Gunners face down a favourable fixture list of Ipswich Town and Brentford.

Jesus has played off the bench in 11 of his last 13 league appearances, and a good performance again will go a long way to finally holding down a key role in Arteta's side.

"Let's see. Let's enjoy tonight and start to think," Arteta added. "It's good that we have players that are knocking [on] the door and are telling the team, 'I deserve to be there'. So, a good problem to have."

Aside from two Community Shield triumphs, Arsenal have not won a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, and stand a strong chance at making their way to the League Cup final, which they have not reached since 2018.

"I'm really happy. We're in the semi-final," continued Arteta. "The game started in a way that we certainly didn't want to with a very simple goal. And then the team had to react, and I think they did, you know, in a great way.

"Showed a lot of character, so much desire to turn things around. And even though in the first half we lacked some threat, we created two or three big chances, didn't score, and with a few adjustments in the second half we got a grip of the game again and we looked a threat."

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