Mikel Arteta
Image credit: Getty Images
Mikel Arteta has played down talk of Arsenal taking a big leap toward the Premier League title after their narrow 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace, reminding everyone that it is still “early” in the campaign.
Eberechi Eze proved decisive against his former club, firing home the only goal of the match in the 39th minute from another well-drilled Arsenal set-piece routine. The Gunners had opportunities to extend their lead after the break, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Bukayo Saka both coming close, but Eze’s first-half strike ultimately stood as the difference at the Emirates.
The win was slightly overshadowed by potential injury concerns for William Saliba, Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori, and Gabriel Martinelli. Still, it capped off a productive weekend for Arsenal, who extended their lead at the top of the table to four points after rivals Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea all suffered defeats.
Reflecting on the result, Arteta praised his players for grinding out a crucial victory under difficult circumstances.
READ MORE: Jamie Carragher names Arsenal star as Premier League’s most influential player
“I just told the boys that they will probably value this victory more than any other victory this season because we knew the difficulty of it,” Arteta said. “We come after playing every three days. You have a big opportunity as well, with the things that happened during this weekend.
“I knew we were playing against a team that has been one of the best recently in terms of organisation, how difficult they make it, how frustrated they can make you. The moment you lose that concentration, they will punish you for sure.
A really, really good weekend of football. https://t.co/vCCaOdVDSn pic.twitter.com/rvrfPafIjb
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) October 26, 2025
“We’ve managed to be more stable, playing the game we have to play. We found a way to score in the first half and in the second half we attacked better and we were more fluent. But at 1-0, we knew we had to suffer. To keep a clean sheet again was very important.”
Arteta also pointed out that the slip-ups from Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea served as a reminder of how fierce and unpredictable the Premier League remains.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE NOW ARSENAL WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
“It shows how hard this league is,” he said when asked about his rivals dropping points. “The players aren’t allowed their phones so I hope not [that they didn’t know].”
Despite Arsenal’s strong start to the season, Arteta remains cautious and focused on continued improvement.
“We are where we are,” he continued. “It’s a credit to us because we have been very consistent knowing the difficulty of every match as well. It is early. It doesn’t mean anything other than let’s keep doing a lot of things that we’re doing well but there are things to improve.”
Arsenal will look to build on their momentum when they travel to Burnley next weekend, hoping to maintain their advantage at the summit while monitoring the fitness of several key players.
NEXT ARTICLE: Mikel Arteta explains Arsenal injury amid fears over severity