Eberechi Eze came back to haunt his former club as Arsenal battled to a narrow 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, sending the Gunners four points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
It was a familiar story for Mikel Arteta’s men — winning without dazzling. Arsenal struggled for rhythm for much of the game but once again made the difference from a set-piece.
Eze’s Emotional Moment
In the first half, Declan Rice delivered a dangerous free-kick that caused chaos in the Palace box. The ball was headed down by Gabriel Magalhães, and Eze reacted quickest, firing home a spectacular half-volley past Dean Henderson.
Eze, who left Palace for £60 million last summer, refused to celebrate out of respect for his former club — a gesture warmly applauded by the travelling fans.
Arsenal Grind It Out
While Arsenal dominated possession, they were far from convincing. Palace made life difficult throughout, pressing high and defending bravely.
William Saliba endured a tough first half against Jean-Philippe Mateta and was replaced by Cristhian Mosquera at half-time. However, Arsenal improved after the break, showing more intent and energy.
Gabriel came close to doubling the lead with a header that crashed against the bar, while Rice also forced a fine save from Henderson. Despite late Palace pressure, the Gunners held firm for their tenth clean sheet in 13 matches — a record that underlines their growing defensive steel.
Title Contenders?
With Thomas Tuchel watching from the stands and Arsenal legend George Graham in attendance, this was the type of gritty win that defines title challenges.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective — and as the Emirates crowd celebrated, the message was clear: Arsenal mean business this season.
