Arsenal ended their long wait for a win with a strong 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Saturday lunchtime

The Gunners had gone over a month without tasting victory, the last time coming on December 17, but they were rarely troubled by a Crystal Palace short on attacking firepower. Arsenal meanwhile found plenty of joy from corners.

Gabriel Magalhaes shows off his excellent ability to score goals with Arsenal’s free kicks

Substitute Gabriel Martinelli rounded things off in added time with two nearly carbon-copy goals.

The two weeks off came just in time for Arsenal to forget their four-match winless streak and enter an exciting match against Crystal Palace.

In the 11th minute, Declan Rice took a corner kick on the left and Magalhaes jumped up and headed from the second post to the near corner to open the score. American international Chris Richards was under pressure, so he could not compete for the ball with the Arsenal midfielder.

Since his Premier League debut in 2020, Magalhaes has scored 11 goals, more than other central defenders of his time. Every season he scores two or more goals, and more than half of the 27-year-old centre-back’s goals are Arsenal’s first goals in that match.

Magalhaes continued to show his fearlessness in fixed situations, scoring the second goal also from a corner. This time Saka crossed the ball from the right to the second post for Magalhaes to hit goalkeeper Dean Henderson into the net. The goal was initially awarded to the Brazilian centre-back, but then the organizers counted goalkeeper Henderson as an own goal because Magalhaes’ shot missed the goal if he did not touch Henderson.

Crystal Palace players, especially Henderson, reacted to the referee because he thought he was obstructed by defender Ben White. However, VAR did not intervene because they considered the goal valid.

Arsenal’s third goal also came from a corner, but was a free kick from the away team. Goalkeeper David Raya, after catching the ball, threw it up for Gabriel Jesus to run along the right sideline to counterattack, before making a cross for Leandro Trossard. The Belgian striker turned the ball to his right foot, eliminated defender Nathan Clyne, then shot to the near corner, not giving Henderson a chance to block.

Trossard left the field about 10 minutes later, under loud applause from the Emirates crowd. They rediscovered the joy of victory after three consecutive defeats by Arsenal.

But it didn’t stop there, Gabriel Martinelli replaced Trossard and scored two more goals within one minute of injury time, sealing a 5-0 victory for Arsenal.

Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli were the driving forces at both the start and end of the match as Arsenal banished the memories of a forgetful festive period when comfortably beating Crystal Palace 5-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.

A four-game winless run saw Arsenal slip to fourth in the table and also exit the FA Cup at the hands of Liverpool, but this victory will have restored confidence as they bid to reignite their title charge.

Mikel Arteta’s team also reclaimed third place from Aston Villa, and are only two points away from Liverpool’s top position, even though Jurgen Klopp’s team missed one match.