The Gabriel show! Martinelli and Magalhaes show Jesus the way to goal for Arsenal

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 20 Jan 2024 15:08 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal returned to winning ways in the Premier League in comfortable fashion, with two of their Gabriels in Martinelli and Magalhaes scoring braces to ease Mikel Arteta’s goalscoring worries.

Magalhaes scored twice in the first half from corners while Martinelli netted his double in second half injury time to give Arsenal a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace and defender’s 12 goals is now three more than any other player in his position in the Premier League since his arrival in 2020.

The Brazilian’s second goal may eventually be credited to an own-goal by Palace keeper Dean Henderson but Magalhaes’ pedigree from set pieces opened the floodgates for Arsenal during a period where they have been uncharacteristically goal shy.

Mikel Arteta’s side scored more than one goals in a game for just the second time in the last eight matches and Arsenal have now netted more times from set pieces than any other team in the league.

While Arteta will be satisfied with a much-needed win as well as a clean sheet and a flurry of goals, arguably the most comforting feeling will be seeing Martinelli return to the scoresheet, doubling his league tally for the season in just 21 minutes of action.

Arsenal went into the match having scored just 18 goals from open play in the league, with only six teams having less, and although there have been suggestions the Gunners need a new striker, the timely return to form of Martinelli may ease any pressure to panic in the transfer market.

Arsenal’s frontline is slowly finding their feet

While two of the Gabriels were well in amongst the goals, striker Jesus drew another blank, with the 26-year-old having scored just three times in the league this season – a figure defender Magalhaes will have matched if he is indeed credited with his second header.

Jesus had frustrated supporters with his comments earlier in the season claiming that scoring goals ‘was not his strong point’, while Arteta spoke before the Palace game and agreed that Arsenal were the ‘best at everything except putting the ball in the back of the net’.

The calls for a clinical and specialised goalscorer will not disappear after one positive result, particularly with Arsenal still two points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

But with Jesus and fellow striker Eddie Nketiah grabbing assists as well as forwards Martinelli and Trossard providing the goals, Arsenal’s faith in their front line is being rewarded and Arteta will hope that it is only a matter of time before the third Gabriel and the out-of-form Bukayo Saka also return to their best.