Eberechi Eze scored the decisive goal against his old side as Arsenal edged Crystal Palace 1-0 to move four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The £67m summer signing produced a moment of brilliance from a trademark Arsenal set-piece, firing home acrobatically after Declan Rice’s curling free-kick was headed down by Gabriel.
Palace, still reeling from their midweek loss to AEK Larnaca, worked hard to threaten through Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Arsenal’s defence stood firm and goalkeeper David Raya remained largely untested.
The Gunners nearly doubled their lead after the break, with Gabriel striking the crossbar and Bukayo Saka going close from the edge of the box. The win stretched Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 games.
Arsenal Analysis: Champions Find a WayIt wasn’t a vintage Arsenal display, but it was the kind of gritty performance that defines title contenders.
The Gunners started slowly and looked uncertain at times in defence, with Mateta and a few loose passes causing unease.
However, Mikel Arteta’s men once again relied on their set-piece strength — Eze’s winner was Arsenal’s 11th goal from dead-ball situations this season, the most in the league.
Arteta has often stressed the importance of set-pieces and solid defending, and this win showed exactly why — grinding out results even when not at their best keeps them firmly on course in the title race.
Crystal Palace Analysis: Effort Fades with FatiguePalace battled bravely but struggled to maintain their energy as the game wore on.
Competing in Europe for the first time this season, the midweek exertions appeared to take their toll on Oliver Glasner’s side.
With four games now without a win in all competitions, the Eagles face a balancing act between managing fatigue and maintaining momentum.
Still, with 13 points from nine league matches, Palace’s overall start remains encouraging despite this setback.
