Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal: Player ratings from Gunners pre-Christmas goal rush

A day for forgotten goal scorers saw Gabriel Jesus re-open a Premier League account that had been gathering cobwebs. The Brazilian's brace put Arsenal in early command against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, despite a fine strike from Ismaila Sarr. Fortunately, close-range goals for Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli, both of whom also needed a league goal, sealed the points before a 5-1 win was iced by super-sub Declan Rice. Only Bukayo Saka's first-half injury rates as a legitimate concern at the start of the busy festive period.

Being able to consistently find the net has been one of the underlying doubts about this Arsenal team all season. It was a problem compounded by midfielder Havertz having to carry the load as a striker with little support.

Fortunately, the Gunners have gotten what they've needed from the recent mini-revival of Jesus. He's relished facing Palace, scoring five goals across two games in as many competitions against the Eagles.

This time, Jesus had some company among the goals thanks to Havertz and Martinelli. The latter was fortunate to be in the path of a shot from substitute Rice, but Martinelli deserved some good fortune for a buccaneering display that hinted a long-overdue return to form may be imminent.

Martinelli's movement was exceptional, and it needed to be once he was required to switch wings after Saka was withdrawn on 24 minutes. His availability remains critical to Arsenal's Premier League title hopes, and so does a solid backline that was anything but against a physical Palace side.

Here are the Arsenal player ratings from a crazy, but ultimately emphatic victory.

Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal player ratings

Goalkeeper & Defenders

David Raya (GK) - 6/10 - This was real Jekyll and Hyde stuff from David Raya. Arsenal's No. 1 gave Palace the initiative to equalise when his needless and errant pass out of the box should have led to a goal. The Gunners escaped, but it was only a brief reprieve for a team discombobulated by Raya's error. Sarr soon found the net, but Raya made amends with three solid saves, including two at the start of the second half to deny what looked like certain goals.

Jurrien Timber (RB) - 6/10 - He didn't necessarily do anything wrong, but Jurrien Timber was uncharacteristically bland at Selhurst Park. The accomplished full-back appeared a little off the pace and took a needless booking for taking too long over a throw-in. Hardly vintage Timber, but he'll have better days.

William Saliba (CB) - 3/10 - Arsenal's key central defender lurched from one disaster to another in what might rate as a career-worst performance for William Saliba. He gave the ball away in dangerous areas, was turned too easily by Palace frontman Jean-Philippe Mateta, and inexplicably wandered into no man's land for Sarr's goal. Was this even the real Saliba or an imposter?

Gabriel Magalhaes (CB) - 4/10 - As bad as Saliba was, Gabriel Magalhaes was hardly better. He didn't imbue his teammates with calmness, nor did the Brazilian produce his almost customary brilliance from set-pieces, heading against the bar when it was easier to score. A yellow card for pulling back Sarr summed up Gabriel's rare off day.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (LB) - 5/10 - The learning curve for an 18-year-old in England's top-flight is a steep one. Myles Lewis-Skelly found out as much during a rough outing when had the thankless task of marking the towering Mateta from set-pieces. Lewis-Skelly was also given all he could handle by Sarr and fellow wide-man Daichi Kamada. This will have been a valuable education for a young player who should eventually save Arsenal a fortune.

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