Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table with a composed 1–0 win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates, though injuries to William Saliba and Declan Rice gave Mikel Arteta cause for concern.
Eberechi Eze struck against his former club in the 39th minute, his first Premier League goal for Arsenal, sealing three points that put the Gunners four clear at the summit. The home side’s dominance rarely translated into flair, but their efficiency was enough to secure a vital victory as both Liverpool and Manchester City dropped points earlier in the weekend.
The opening exchanges were slow, with Arsenal struggling to break down a disciplined Palace defence. The breakthrough came from a familiar source: a set piece. Declan Rice delivered a dangerous ball from a free-kick, Gabriel Magalhães rose highest, and Eze pounced on the rebound to finish coolly past Dean Henderson.
Arsenal’s threat from dead-ball situations remains unmatched this season, with the Gunners now scoring 11 goals from set pieces across all competitions.
Eze, who joined Arsenal from Palace for £67.5 million in the summer, chose not to celebrate wildly against his former side but his strike carried weight—both personally and in the title race. His tidy finish highlighted the sharpness Arsenal had been missing in an otherwise scrappy first half.
Palace, meanwhile, failed to replicate their attacking fluency from recent weeks. Jean-Philippe Mateta, who scored a hat-trick in the 3–3 draw with Bournemouth last weekend, found himself well-marshalled by Saliba and Gabriel. Despite brief early promise, the visitors mustered little to trouble David Raya, who recorded his sixth clean sheet in nine league games.
Arsenal’s defensive discipline remains their greatest weapon. They have now conceded just three goals in 13 matches in all competitions—fewer than any side in Europe’s top five leagues. The combination of Saliba and Gabriel at centre-back continues to anchor a back line defined more by organisation than flair, with new arrivals Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori providing balance and solidity.
However, the mood was dampened late on when both Saliba and Rice were forced off with injuries. Arteta, though pleased with his side’s professionalism, admitted concern over their fitness as the club prepares for a demanding winter schedule.
