Eberechi Eze Haunts Former Membership as Arsenal Edge Crystal Palace to Go 4 Factors Clear on the High
Eberechi Eze got here again to hang-out his former membership, scoring the decisive purpose as Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 1–0 to increase their lead on the high of the Premier League desk to 4 factors.
Eze, who joined Arsenal in a £67 million summer time switch from Palace, delivered the match-winning strike with a second of sophistication that typified his affect since arriving on the Emirates. The breakthrough got here from yet one more trademark Arsenal set-piece — Declan Rice floated in a harmful free-kick, Gabriel Magalhães nodded it down, and Eze reacted instinctively with an acrobatic end into the underside nook.
Regardless of their midweek defeat to AEK Larnaca in Europe, Palace confirmed flashes of resilience. Jean-Philippe Mateta battled gamely in opposition to Arsenal’s backline, however David Raya remained largely untested in purpose.
Arsenal practically doubled their lead within the second half — Gabriel struck the crossbar with a towering header, whereas Bukayo Saka got here shut with a curling shot that whistled narrowly previous the put up. In the long run, Mikel Arteta’s facet held agency to safe their tenth straight unbeaten match throughout all competitions.
Arsenal Evaluation: Grinding Out Outcomes Like Champions
This was removed from Arsenal’s slickest efficiency, but it surely was the sort of gritty, affected person show that usually defines title contenders.
Having saved 4 consecutive clear sheets previous to this match, the Gunners began sluggishly, struggling to seek out rhythm and permitting Palace early possibilities by way of Mateta’s urgent and some uncharacteristic errors on the again. It wasn’t till the half-hour mark that Leandro Trossard registered their first shot on course.
However as soon as once more, set-pieces proved Arsenal’s secret weapon. The Gunners have now scored 11 objectives from dead-ball conditions within the league this season — greater than some other crew. Arteta has regularly emphasised the significance of such moments, and on an evening the place open-play possibilities have been restricted, it made all of the distinction.
As Arteta later famous, the flexibility to “win ugly” and take most factors when not at their greatest is strictly what separates champions from challengers.
Crystal Palace Evaluation: Courageous Effort, However Fatigue Exhibiting
For Palace, this was one other testing night time in what’s proving a demanding season. Their first-ever European marketing campaign is starting to take its toll, with Oliver Glasner’s gamers visibly tiring within the ultimate levels on the Emirates.
They competed admirably within the first half, urgent nicely and limiting Arsenal’s fluency, however the depth waned after the break. With no wins in 4 matches throughout all competitions, fatigue and fixture congestion have gotten real issues for Glasner.
Nonetheless, Palace’s general begin to the Premier League season stays respectable — 13 factors from 9 video games retains them comfortably mid-table. The problem now can be sustaining that stage whereas juggling the calls for of European soccer.
A stable, if unspectacular, night time for Arsenal — one which additional underlines their credentials. With Eze shining in opposition to his previous membership and Arteta’s males proving they will win with out dominating, the Gunners’ title cost seems to be extra convincing with each passing week.