Every Emirates Hat-Trick: From Adebayor to Jesus

Ebere Eze’s hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend marked just the 18th time a match ball has been claimed at Emirates Stadium in its 529-game history.

The first player to achieve the feat at the venue was Emmanuel Adebayor, who scored three goals in a dominant 5-0 victory over Derby County on September 22, 2007, during the stadium’s second season. Interestingly, Jay Simpson previously recorded a hat-trick for the club’s under-18s in an FA Youth Cup game. Since then, Arsenal players have notched 11 Premier League hat-tricks, three in the Champions League, three in the League Cup, and one in the FA Cup. Remarkably, no opposing player has ever scored a hat-trick at Emirates Stadium.

Here’s a look back at all 17 previous hat-tricks scored at the Emirates before Ebere Eze’s North London Derby masterclass:

Emmanuel Adebayor v Derby County
September 22, 2007
Premier League

The first Emirates hat-trick came in the 33rd game played at the stadium, courtesy of striker Emmanuel Adebayor. After Abou Diaby opened the scoring with a long-range rocket, Adebayor latched onto a through ball and rounded the keeper for his first goal. He doubled the lead from the penalty spot just five minutes into the second half, and after Cesc Fabregas made it 4-0, Adebayor completed his treble by controlling a long pass from Denilson and holding off his marker. Later that season, Adebayor remarkably scored another hat-trick away at Derby, becoming the first player in Premier League history to achieve the feat both home and away against the same opponent in a single season.

Carlos Vela v Sheffield United
September 23, 2008
League Cup

Mexican forward Carlos Vela, just 19 years old at the time, bagged three goals against Sheffield United on September 23, 2008. Arsenal was already leading 2-0 when Nicklas Bendtner set him up with a through ball just before halftime, and Vela finished coolly inside the far post with his left foot for his first goal for the club. His second, five minutes into the second half, was a moment of pure skill – a cheeky chip over Paddy Kenny that left the keeper completely flummoxed. He then blasted home his third late in the game from an Aaron Ramsey pass, completing a 6-0 rout.

Nicklas Bendtner v FC Porto
March 9, 2010
Champions League

Arsenal’s first European hat-trick at Emirates Stadium came from Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner, helping the team overcome a 2-1 first-leg deficit in the Champions League Round of 16. Bendtner stabbed home a loose ball in the ninth minute to open the scoring, then doubled the lead in the 25th minute, finishing from close range after some nifty footwork from Andrey Arshavin. Bendtner completed his hat-trick – and a 5-0 aggregate victory – with a late penalty.

Theo Walcott v Blackpool
August 21, 2010
Premier League

The first game of the 2010/11 season ended in a 6-0 thrashing of Blackpool, largely thanks to a brilliant hat-trick from 21-year-old Theo Walcott. He opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a crisp finish into the bottom corner, then Jack Wilshere set him up for his second, allowing him to turn inside the area and drill a low shot into the net. Walcott completed his hat-trick before the hour mark, dancing past defenders before finding the bottom corner with his left foot. It was his first Arsenal hat-trick, but his second overall, having previously become the youngest hat-trick scorer in England history against Croatia.

Robin van Persie v Wigan Athletic
January 22, 2011
Premier League

Later that season, Robin van Persie scored all three goals in a 3-0 home win over Wigan Athletic. The Dutch striker could have had even more, also blasting over a penalty and hitting the post as he dominated the match to claim his first Premier League hat-trick. His first came in the 21st minute, a left-footed drive from inside the area following a through ball from Alex Song. He then volleyed home a lofted pass from Cesc Fabregas to make it 2-0 on the hour mark, and completed his hat-trick five minutes from time with a right-footed finish at the near post.

Nicklas Bendtner v Leyton Orient
March 2, 2011
FA Cup

The third Emirates hat-trick of the 2010/11 season remains the only one scored in the FA Cup, as Nicklas Bendtner became the first player to score two hat-tricks at the stadium. Following a 1-1 draw at Brisbane Road in the fifth round, Arsenal came out firing in the replay. Marouane Chamakh gave them an early lead before Bendtner headed in a Kieran Gibbs cross to double the advantage. Just before halftime, the Danish striker found the bottom corner from just outside the area. He scored a penalty just after the hour, and Arsenal went on to win 5-0, despite losing the League Cup final to Birmingham City just days later.

Robin van Persie v Blackburn Rovers
February 4, 2012
Premier League

A game remembered as Thierry Henry’s final appearance at Emirates Stadium turned into a showcase for Robin van Persie, who scored three goals in a 7-1 victory. He tapped in the opener in the second minute from close range following a Theo Walcott cross, and the same two combined for a similar goal in the 35th minute. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored twice and Mikel Arteta also found the net as Arsenal took a 5-1 lead after 54 minutes, with van Persie involved in two of those goals. He completed his treble on the hour with a smartly-taken finish with his right foot at the near post. Henry scored in the final minute, but it was later credited as a Scott Dann own goal.

Theo Walcott v Newcastle United
December 29, 2012
Premier League

Another dominant win saw Newcastle fall 7-3, with Theo Walcott capping off the evening with a hat-trick. He started the rout with a cool finish when one-on-one with the keeper. Playing as a center forward, he got his second by turning inside the area and drilling a low shot into the net. Walcott completed his hat-trick in the last minute, taking a quick free kick near the corner flag, then wriggling between three defenders before being brought down and smashing the ball home at the near post. It was his first Arsenal hat-trick, but his second career hat-trick, having previously become the youngest hat-trick scorer for England against Croatia.

Danny Welbeck v Galatasaray
October 1, 2014
Champions League

Danny Welbeck ran riot against Galatasaray in the 2014/15 Champions League group stage. He prodded home the first goal midway through the first half, running onto an excellent pass from Alexis Sanchez into the area. He doubled the lead on the half hour, outmuscling his defender before slipping the ball past the keeper. Sanchez scored our third before halftime, but Welbeck had the final word early in the second half, finishing a pass from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. These were the first goals he had ever scored at Emirates Stadium, and his only career hat-trick – remarkably, the only Champions League goals he scored for the club.

Theo Walcott v West Bromwich Albion
May 24, 2015
Premier League

Theo Walcott became the only player to appear on this list three times, completing his hat-trick of hat-tricks in a 4-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on the final day of the 2014/15 season. In a game also remembered for Jack Wilshere’s Goal of the Season winner, Walcott scored all three of his goals in the first half. His first was a stunning strike into the top corner from inside the area. He then bundled his way through the defense to tuck home his second, before Wilshere also got on the scoresheet in style. Walcott completed his hat-trick before the hour mark, dancing past the defense before finding the bottom corner with his left foot.

Olivier Giroud v Aston Villa
May 15, 2016
Premier League

A classic Olivier Giroud header from a Nacho Monreal cross started this hat-trick on the final day of the 2015/16 season. That goal sparked the scoring in the fifth minute, and the second arrived in the 78th minute, with Giroud sweeping home a left-footed finish from a Mesut Ozil cross in front of the North Bank. He stole in behind the defense two minutes later to slide in the third with his left foot. Mikel Arteta thought he had scored the fourth in injury time, but it was later ruled an own goal by Mark Bunn. The win was enough to secure second place in the Premier League, finishing above Tottenham for the first time in years.

Mesut Ozil v Ludogorets
October 19, 2016
Champions League

The last Champions League hat-trick scored at the Emirates was also the only one of Mesut Ozil’s Arsenal career. After helping the team to a 3-0 lead and assisting Theo Walcott’s goal, he took over the scoring duties himself, netting three goals in the final 34 minutes. First, he finished with his right foot when one-on-one with the keeper after being set up by a long pass from Santi Cazorla. Next, the German playmaker scored again with his weaker right foot, finishing first-time from a Lucas Perez cross. His third came four minutes from time, a stunning left-footed volley to make it 6-0. It was the only hat-trick of goals Ozil ever scored in his career, though he did also record a hat-trick of assists for the team against CSKA Moscow in 2018.

Aaron Ramsey v Everton
February 3, 2018
Premier League

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both made their full debuts at Emirates Stadium, but were overshadowed by Aaron Ramsey. Mkhitaryan set up the first for the Welshman, squaring across the six-yard box for Ramsey to tuck home a first-time shot. Laurent Koscielny doubled the lead in the 14th minute, and five minutes later Ramsey had his second, thumping home an Alex Iwobi cutback from 20 yards out. Aubameyang scored to make it 4-0, and Ramsey added the icing on the cake late on, making it 5-1 with a low cross from Mkhitaryan.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang v Leeds United
February 14, 2021
Premier League

It was three years before another hat-trick was scored at the Emirates, with Aubameyang the star of the show. With supporters locked out of the stadium due to Covid restrictions, Aubameyang scored a 34-minute hat-trick in a 4-2 win. He opened the scoring inside the opening quarter of an hour, running at the defense before squeezing his shot inside the near post. His second came from the penalty spot, and he got his third two minutes after the restart, heading home a cross from Emile Smith Rowe. It was the first hat-trick of Mikel Arteta’s reign, and the second for Aubameyang, after he’d scored three away to Valencia in 2019. He would score one more hat-trick for the club, away to West Brom in August 2021.

Eddie Nketiah v Sunderland
December 21, 2021
League Cup

Charlie Patino sealed this 5-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final win with a last-minute debut goal, but it was another Hale End product who had laid the platform with a hat-trick inside the hour mark. Eddie Nketiah grabbed a typical poacher’s goal to open the scoring, prodding home with his knee from close range after a Rob Holding header was parried. He showed his striker’s instincts again in the second half to turn home a Nuno Tavares cross inside the six-yard box, and claimed his first career hat-trick moments later with a flicked finish over the keeper from a Pepe cross.

Eddie Nketiah v Sheffield United
October 28, 2023
Premier League

Eddie Nketiah also scored the last Premier League hat-trick at Emirates Stadium, before Ebere Eze’s against Spurs. His first came when he controlled a Declan Rice pass into the area, then coolly finished past the keeper. Early in the second half, he thumped home a loose ball inside the area to double the lead, and made it 3-0 with an absolute screamer from 20 yards. All three goals came within the space of 30 minutes. Fabio Vieira and Takehiro Tomiyasu added late goals to complete the rout.

Gabriel Jesus v Crystal Palace
December 18, 2024
League Cup

Eddie Nketiah was on the scoresheet for the opposition the previous time Arsenal scored a home hat-trick. Jean-Philippe Mateta had put Crystal Palace ahead in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, but then Gabriel Jesus took over. He hadn’t scored a home goal in a year, but smashed three in 27 minutes to send Arsenal to the semi-finals. His first was a lovely dink over the goalkeeper after riding a challenge inside the area. His second was an unerring finish after being set up by Bukayo Saka. He wrapped up the win, and claimed the matchball, by racing away from the halfway line and confidently dispatching his shot. Nketiah scored a late consolation. Three days later, Jesus grabbed two more against Palace in a 5-1 Premier League win at Selhurst Park.