**Arsenal**are in cruise control at the top of the Premier League table, having beaten Crystal Palace 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium thanks to a goal from Eberechi Eze against his former employers.
The Gunners did not produce a performance to please the neutrals, but their professional approach is proving too much to handle for the rest of the division as they build a bigger buffer over their rivals.
Here are four things we learned from this all-London affair.
Arsenal are made of sturdy stuff
**Arsenal**arrived into this fixture knowing that reigning champions **Liverpool**had lost 3-2 at Brentford, going pointless from their last four Premier League games. At the same time, **Man City**kicked off against Aston Villa, to whom they would eventually lose 1-0 at Villa Park.
The faults of the rivals are well documented, but Arteta’s men needed to handle their business to make the most of the situation. Just last campaign, this was a step that the team failed to make repeatedly, but it looks like the stability of the side has been all-encompassing as they continue to improve.
There was no wavering from the firm foundations that have taken the Gunners to this point. They handled their business calmly and conceded only one shot on target (an innocuous flick on from Eddie Nketiah). In their two matches against **Fulham**and West Ham, the defence did not give away a single effort on their goal, pulling off this feat in the **Premier League**for the first time since 2003.
Go back an extra game at Newcastle United, and it is now four outings in which **Arsenal**have atoned for dropped points from last year. Mental blocks are melting and confidence in the camp is sky high.
Palace produce another competitive clash
However, the Gunners did not get it all their own way. Oliver Glasner has lost some elite talent in the last 18 months, but Palace have gone from strength to strength as they understand their system.
The tactical framework of a compact, defensively disciplined 5-2-3 formation has already foiled some of the best teams in the division. TheEaglesdefeated**Liverpoolin theCommunity Shieldand downed them again 2-1 atSelhurst Park,whileChelsea**could not break them down in August.
**Arsenal**knew they faced a resolute unit, having drawn 2-2 in North London against Palace in April. Even with the evolution of the team, they could not crack the guests, who only conceded one effort in the first 35 minutes of the match, aggressively patrolling the channels and controlling the centre.
In Jean-Philippe Mateta, Palace also have a superb frontman to lead their breakouts. The streetwise striker netted a hat-trick against Bournemouththe previous week, and he showed his strength outside of the box in this showdown. As he held up the ball,William Saliba, the Frenchman, forged a platform for the right-sided runners,Ismaila SarrandDaniel Munoz, to increase the threat from the visitors.
The transitions were not quite sharp enough to keep the pressure on the league leaders, especially in the second half. However, there was no doubt that Arteta’s men had to stay on their toes until the final whistle, and they were grateful to have a talismanic ten in their ranks rather than behind enemy lines.
Back in April, **Eberechi Eze**slapped a sweet volley into the back of the net to equalise for the Eagles at the Emirates Stadium. Thankfully for Arsenal, the boot was on the other foot on this occasion.
With **Martin Odegaard**absent due to a knee injury, the 27-year-old has received the trust of Mikel Arteta as the attacking midfielder. The fans have hoped for fireworks from a ‘throwback ten’ of the Emirates era with the individual flair, vision, and finishing to give the group more offensive solutions.
His output in a more central role has not been outstanding. Eze did not sparkle against West Ham, faded into the background against Fulham, and lost influence against Atletico Madrid after a strong start. He is not the star of the show inNorth London, and Arteta is forcing him to adapt to the demands of a more right-sided role, unlike the slot as a left 10 that he was afforded under Glasner.
But there have been moments of magic. From the assist for Gabriel Martinelli against **Man City**to the creative release for **Myles Lewis-Skelly**against Atletico Madrid, Eze has shown that he has something special to give when it comes to providing answers to problems in crowded, central areas.
A karate volley against Atletico went under the radar as Viktor Gyökeres grabbed his first goal in the Champions League for the Gunners, but Eze repeated the trick again to punish his old club, and he rightly earned the plaudits as a difference maker. A more explosive ball carrier than Odegaard and a man for the final action, he should back his quality to make things work out with his dream move.
Challenges continue for the capital clubs
The continuity at **Arsenal**and Palace is paving the way towards success at their respective levels, but there are trials and tribulations of a different kind that both teams must endure this season.
The Eagles have never played in the main draw of a continental competition before, so the players have thrown themselves headlong at the challenge of constant double game weeks this campaign.
Even though performances have been competitive, Palace have dropped points in three of the four fixtures that have followed European encounters on Thursday nights. The only exception was a 3-0 victory at Villa Park against an Aston Villa outfit that were worse for wear in that moment.
Glasner will continue to bring the newcomers up to speed and try to maintain the standard that has seen the Eagles soar in 2025. But things do not get any easier for the Austrian at Selhurst Park.
From a more privileged position, Arteta has a different type of balancing act to achieve.
The addition of eight summer signings signals greatly increased squad depth for the Gunners, who are going for the **Premier League**for the fourth time under their manager. But the demand is great for major honours across the board, especially after a run to the Champions League semi-final against the odds, as well as the lack of a major honour for Arteta in the dugout since the **FA Cup**in 2020.
The Spaniard will be wary of stretching the squad too thin. Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz, and **Gabriel Jesus**are already out of action. Then, a trio of injury concerns hit the camp on Sunday.
**William Saliba**sat out the second half with a knock, Declan Rice went down with a leg injury, and Riccardo Calafiori came off the field for the final 10 minutes of the match. No one will share sympathy for the Gunners, but fitness will be an agenda item that lingers on the manager’s mind.