Oleksandr Zinchenko and Mikel Arteta have praised Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus for his hat-trick against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal beat Premier League rivals Palace 3-2 in North London in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.
Jesus scored all three goals for Mikel Arteta’s side. All of the Brazilian star’s strikes came in the second half.
Arsenal defender Zinchenko was hugely impressed with Jesus and wrote in his Instagram story to the striker: “Deserved more than anyone else”.
Jesus’s goals against London rivals Palace pleased Arsenal manager Arteta as well.
Football.London quotes Arteta as saying: “I’m so pleased for him. It’s been a long period for him without goals and today, to score three goals, the three types of goals that he scored – and the many actions he was involved in – he looked very sharp.
“I think it’s a great thing for him and the team that we can rely on a player of such quality.”
View: Gabriel Jesus could now start to flourish for Arsenal
Jesus has been struggling this season, not only to score goals for Arsenal but also to get into the Gunners’ starting line-up.
The former Manchester City striker has made only two starts in the Premier League so far this season. Kai Havertz has been preferred to him in the centre-forward’s role.
Jesus’s goals against Palace on Wednesday evening will have boosted his confidence. They will have also sent a message to Arteta about his ability to find the back of the net when set up with chances.
Havertz himself has not been particularly great this campaign. The Germany international forward has found the back of the net only five times in 15 Premier League matches.
Perhaps Arteta will now give Jesus a run in the team ahead of Havertz. With the Brazilian striker banging in a hat-trick on Wednesday evening, he now needs to be shown confidence and belief by his manager.