Report & Highlights: Palace's Carabao Cup run ended after Arsenal fightback

Summary:

• Looking to reach a first Carabao Cup semi-final since 2011/12, Palace make one change from the Brighton win, Caleb Kporha in for his first senior start.
• 3- GOAL: With virtually Palace’s first attacking foray into the Gunners’ half, Mateta coolly slots home after indecision in the Arsenal backline.
• 7: Chalobah makes a timely intervention to block Tierney’s dangerous cross from the left.
• 8: Lerma clears the resulting corner off the line with a smart header.
• 10: Arsenal chance falls to Leandro Trossard – but he can only smash his effort over the crossbar.
• 14: Sarr goes close to making it 2-0, after a strong direct run his arrowed shot is well-saved by Raya.
• 22: Kporha goes into the book for a foul on Trossard. The resulting free-kick from a dangerous area is well dealt with by Henderson.
• 30: Henderson makes a superb save to keep out Sterling’s free-kick, which was destined for the top corner.
• 41: Kporha makes an excellent defensive intervention at the back post after Sterling’s whipped cross.
• HT: Arsenal 0-1 Palace
• 50: Henderson makes an excellent stop to deny Sterling at the back post, Merino then fires a shot just wide.
• 53 – GOAL: Arsenal equalise through Gabriel Jesus’s delicate finish.
• 62: Henderson saves smartly at his near post to deny Jesus.
• 70: Arsenal break and Merino tries his luck from distance only to be denied by Henderson.
• 72 – GOAL: Jesus fires home his second of the tie after finding space in the box.
• 81 – GOAL: Arsenal hit a third on the counter, Jesus sprinting clear before finding the net.
• 85 – GOAL: Nketiah heads home an excellent goal to halve the deficit after a wonderful cross from Clyne.
• 87: Palace breakaway and nearly grab an equaliser, but Nketiah’s low cross is cleared.
• 90+4: Henderson goes up for a Palace corner but it doesn’t come to anything and Arsenal survive.
• FT: Arsenal 3-2 Palace

Palace – who only made one change from the team that won at Brighton, with Caleb Kporha handed his first senior start – were looking to make it six unbeaten in all competitions.

And only three minutes in the Eagles made a dream start. Jean-Philippe Mateta capitalised on indecisiveness from Jakub Kiwior, before providing a cool finish under David Raya for his seventh goal of the season.

Cue bedlam in the away end, with Mateta quickly mobbed by yellow shirts, while the rest of the Emirates Stadium was stunned into silence.

A fast response did arrive, with the first Gunners’ corner of the night inevitably a danger. Thankfully Jefferson Lerma was in the right place to clear it off the line.

Former Brighton man Leandro Trossard then had Arsenal’s first clear cut opportunity, but blazed his shot over the bar when well placed, to the delight of the away section.

At the other end, Ismaila Sarr picked up where he left off against Brighton with a powerful run into the Arsenal box, only for his shot to be kept out by David Raya.

The hosts were able to force further set-pieces but some commanding saves from Henderson helped protect Palace’s lead.

The highlight of the Eagles No. 1’s first half came on the half hour mark, a full-stretch diving save to keep out Raheem Sterling’s free-kick, which was destined for the top corner.

Although the hosts had more of the ball, Palace’s back three were rarely troubled for the rest of the half, with the industrious Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma covering every blade of grass in front of them.

Bar one blocked Ebere Eze free-kick the rest of the half passed without real incident, Palace looking reasonably comfortable in defence and carrying a threat on the break.

The hosts made a double change at the interval, introducing both William Saliba and Martin Odegaard in an attempt to turn the tie, while Nathaniel Clyne was introduced for Kporha at right wing-back.

The Gunners came close to an immediate equaliser when Tierney’s cross picked out an unmarked Sterling at the back post. Cue another excellent stop from the in-form Henderson at the back post.

Seconds later they went close again, Mikel Merino firing just wide of the post.

And just as it looked like Palace had survived the onslaught, Gunners forward Gabriel Jesus managed to find space in the box before producing a delicate finish past Henderson to level the tie.

It remained an open contest, Maxence Lacroix firing over at the other end before Oliver Glasner introduced Daichi Kamada and former Gunner Eddie Nketiah from the bench in an attempt to wrestle back momentum, Eze and Mateta making way.

Jesus went close just after the hour mark, only for Henderson to make another excellent stop, this time from close range, keeping the tie delicately posited.

Arsenal introduced Bukayo Saka from the bench and minutes later the Eagles were behind.

The England international found Jesus, who managed to get room in the penalty area, hitting a low shot into the corner of the goal, even Henderson unable to keep this one out.

Palace were nearly level within minutes, Arsenal somehow scrambling a dangerous cross behind after more good work from Sarr.

Glasner then introduced Justin Devenny to the action, only for Arsenal to score a breakaway third goal, Jesus again the goalscorer to complete his hat-trick.

But Palace continued to scrap and got themselves back in the game in superb fashion, Clyne picking out fellow substitute Eddie Nketiah, who headed home a wonderful goal at his former stomping ground – his second goal in the competition this season.

The Eagles threw everything at it for the final ten minutes, but after one final corner-kick was cleared the full-time whistle arrived.

The result ends Palace’s interest in the Carabao Cup, but the team put in a brave performance and on another night with the luck on their side would have prevailed.

Arsenal: Raya (GK), Partey (Saliba, HT), Timber, Kiwior (Gabriel, 86), Tierney (Lewis-Skelly, 69) Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri (Odegaard, 46), Sterling (Saka 69), Trossard, Jesus

Subs: Setford (GK), Kacurri, Martinelli, Havertz

Palace: Henderson (GK), Kporha (Clyne, HT), Guehi, Lacroix, Chalobah, Mitchell (Schlupp, 86), Lerma, Hughes (Devenny, 80), Eze (Kamada, 59), Sarr, Mateta (Nketiah, 59)

Subs: Turner (GK), Ward, Richards, Doucoure

As It Happened: