Arsenal secured passage to the semi-finals of the League Cup with a multi-goal thriller against Crystal Palace.
It started off horrendously for the Gunners as a mistake by Jakub Kiwior allowed Jean-Philippe Mateta to run through and score. Arsenal would reply early in the second half, though. A brilliant pass from substitute Martin Odegaard found Gabriel Jesus who chipped the ball over Dean Henderson before going on to score a second soon after.
The Brazilian would complete his hat-trick with a one-vs-one goal, courtesy again of Odegaard. The win sees the Gunners move on to the next round with a real chance of silverware on the line.
While the game was being broadcast, the television cameras are not able to catch everything. football.london were in attendance to catch everything missed by the pictures which we have summarised just for you.
Cheers for Tierney
We reported at football.london that there had been some tweaks to the pre-match announcements and player name calls. With only the first names being read out for the crowd to respond but that was on hold for tonight.
What it did allow was for Kieran Tierney’s full name to be read out before the match and stadium announcer Peter Mujuzi gave it a little more oomph. The crowd certainly responded in kind and gave the Scottish international a very big cheer indeed.
Odegaard out early
Arsenal went in at the break a goal down and the mood inside the stadium was particularly dour. The fans needed a lift and before the squad came out in full, Martin Odegaard raced out of the tunnel to complete his warm-up to come on.
The home fans roared at the sight of a half-time change, recognising the manager's key change. However, perhaps there might’ve been some disappointment that he was replacing Ethan Nwaneri and not Raheem Sterling.
Sterling scrutiny
Certainly the talk in the press lounge at the break was about the need perhaps for Raheem Sterling to be brought off. After missing a massive chance with the Gunners trailing it felt like that again was being vindicated.
For much of the game in the first period, Arteta, who was on the same side as the right winger, was shouting toward Sterling to get into certain positions. Yet in the second half a really telling moment with the ball on the left in the Arsenal half, I counted at least five Arsenal players turn and shout toward the Chelsea loanee and beckon him to come closer to his teammates to narrow the spaces.
Gabriel Jesus in particular could be seen trying to get a message over to the winger. Thankfully it did not prove costly but the level certainly went up after Bukayo Saka came on as he helped the Gunners gain the key advantage.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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