Arsenal have written a new page of English football history thanks to their 5-1 destruction of London rivals Crystal Palace in Saturday's Premier League derby.
The Gunners had already got one over Oliver Glasner's men in the EFL Cup quarter-finals in midweek, advancing to the final four courtesy of a Gabriel Jesus-inspired 3-2 victory.
After the resurgent Brazilian struck a hat-trick in midweek, he picked up exactly where he left off, drawing first blood in the sixth minute before Ismaila Sarr's quickfire leveller.
Sarr's fine strike would not be the start of a Palace revival, though, as Jesus almost immediately restored Arsenal's lead before Kai Havertz gave the visitors a comfortable cushion.
Jesus then should have notched his second hat-trick in four days, but Gabriel Martinelli was on hand to finish after the Brazilian fluffed his lines, before Declan Rice made it a five-star display from the Gunners.
Arsenal score five goals in sixth away game in 2024
© Imago
Arsenal have now scored at least five goals in six separate away matches in 2024, and they are now the first-ever English top-flight club to achieve that feat in one calendar year.
Three of those five-goal displays have come since the start of November, as Arsenal also crushed West Ham United 5-2 at the London Stadium and demolished Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in Portugal in the Champions League.
West Ham had already been on the receiving end of a 6-0 home slaughter against Arsenal last season, and Arteta's men also hit Burnley and Sheffield United for five on the road before their respective relegations.
The Gunners had briefly been bumped down to fourth place in the Premier League table by Nottingham Forest's 2-0 win over Brentford, but they are now back in top three, one point below Chelsea and three worse off than Liverpool.
However, one blot on the notebook from Saturday evening was the injury to Bukayo Saka, who appeared to hurt his hamstring in the first half and had to be taken off for Leandro Trossard.
Mikel Arteta delivers update on Saka injury
© Imago
Saka was seen holding the back of his thigh before he trudged off, and Arteta admitted to reporters in his pre-game press conference that he was rather concerned about the winger's problem.
"He felt something in his hamstring. He will have to be assessed. Pretty worried about that," Arteta said. "It's difficult to guess now. They have tested him but difficult to say how bad it is."
Arsenal also lost Raheem Sterling to injury before kickoff, but Riccardo Calafiori and Rice both recovered from problems to make second-half cameos and combine for the Gunners' fifth goal on the night.
Arteta's men now have five full days to recover before they host Ipswich Town on December 27.
Ben Knapton
