ARSENAL 1-0 CRYSTAL PALACE: Eberechi Eze scores his first Premier League goal for the Gunners against his former club as Mikel Arteta's side take control of the title race
Arsenal's English midfielder #10 Eberechi Eze (C) celebrates
Eberechi Eze scored against his former club to put Arsenal ahead(Image: HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Arsenal moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a routine victory over Crystal Palace. Eberechi Eze scored the game's only goal against his former club before the Gunners shut the door on their opponents to grind out the win in assured fashion.
The home side's first shot didn't come until the 33rd minute, but they hit the front six minutes later when Eze fired in a loose ball following a free-kick. Gabriel Magalhaes hit the bar with a header and Dean Henderson pulled off a stunning reaction save to keep out Declan Rice.
There was very little to get excited about from there on in, with Arsenal simply getting the job done in a professional, if unexciting manner. Mikel Arteta won't care how it came, with defeats for Liverpool and Manchester City ensuring they now sit six points clear of City and seven ahead of Arne Slot's side at the top of the table.
The only negative for Arsenal were injuries to William Saliba and Rice, who were both forced off. Here are the talking points from the Emirates Stadium.
1. Set piece to the rescue
The vast majority of the first half was deadly dull. Arsenal dominated the ball but did nothing with it. Palace threatened a few times to get in behind. That was about it. And then Yeremy Pino gave away a needless free-kick with a foul on Bukayo Saka and the Gunners did what they always do.
Rice sent in a dangerous curling ball, Gabriel got his head onto it and Eze buried the knock-down. Arsenal have now scored 11 goals from set pieces this season and opponents really appear clueless about how to stop them. Most of the time, there's nothing fancy either, just a well delivered ball and big players attacking it.
Eberechi Eze of Arsenal scores
Eberechi Eze put Arsenal 1-0 up with an unorthodox finish
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2. Eze haunts Palace
Halloween is around the corner so the pun is allowed. Eze has shown plenty of flashes of brilliance since Arsenal gazumped Tottenham by paying £67.5million for the England playmaker, but this was his first Premier League goal for the club, to go with his three assists in all competitions.
The way he struck the bouncing ball was unorthodox and effective, as he beat his former team-mate Adam Wharton to it and controlled his finish past Henderson. His celebration wasn't the classic apologetic one you might expect to see but remained respectful against the club he represented for five years.
3. Palace blunt
William Saliba of Arsenal battles for possession with Jean-Philippe Mateta
Jean-Philippe Mateta couldn't repeat his heroics of last weekend for Palace(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Palace endured a very frustrating Thursday night in which they were repelled by Larnaca in the Conference League - and although this was a different situation, the end result was the same. There was some early encouragement as Jean-Philippe Mateta looked to have the better of William Saliba, but once Arsenal grew into the game, they never really threatened.
Eddie Nketiah was summoned from the bench but couldn't repeat Eze's trick of scoring against his former club and there was little to get excited about for the travelling fans. Mateta scored a hat-trick in the 3-3 draw with Bournemouth last weekend but didn't have a sniff of goal against the best defence in football.
4. Clean sheets the norm
David Raya of Arsenal
David Raya has made clean sheets the norm
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It may not be pretty, but Arsenal's success is built on their defence. David Raya now has six clean sheets in nine Premier League matches this season, with chances against him coming at a premium. Gone are the expansive full-backs, with Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori from a very different school of defending.
It is working. Arsenal have conceded just three goals in 13 matches in all competitions this season - the fewest across of any side in Europe's big five leagues. Gabriel and Saliba have been the best centre-back pairing in the league for a few years now and the organisation Arteta and his coaches have instilled is admirable.
5. Firm title favourites
Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal,
Mikel Arteta has his side on course for the title
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This was a significant weekend for Arsenal, who are undoubtedly now firm favourites to win their first league title since 2003/04. While the wheels have come off at Liverpool, who suffered their fourth straight league defeat by losing 3-2 at Brentford, Arsenal look so assured and confident.
With Aston Villa beating Manchester City 1-0, the Premier League table has a surprising look, with Bournemouth and Sunderland the closest challengers to Arteta's side right now. Arsenal have the best squad depth in the league, a rock-solid defence and a reliable stream of goals from set pieces. This simply has to be their year.
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