Arsenal Move Four Points Clear At Top As Eze Strike Sees Off Crystal Palace

It had to beryllium him. Eberechi Eze would not person wished his first Arsenal Premier League extremity to travel against Crystal Palace. Partly because they are his erstwhile employers, but much because it intends it has taken a while to arrive.

However, delayed gratification tin beryllium satisfying and Eze’s timing was impeccable. With Liverpool suffering a 4th consecutive convention conclusion astatine Brentford connected Saturday night, Arsenal had a spread to extend. Opportunities specified arsenic Sunday presented must not beryllium missed if a title is to beryllium won.

But aft his squad had spent astir an full half offering up stodgy breadstuff pudding erstwhile ray and fluffy meringue was required, Eze provided nan momentary magic that Mikel Arteta et al longed for.

Both feet disconnected nan ground, pinch nan shot not rather settled nicely, Eze adjusted and struck a first-time changeable that whipped nan location crowd into delight. Three times nan stadium announcer bellowed “Eberechi” into nan northbound London air. Three times nan telephone was met pinch a large response. One-nil to nan Arsenal.

And so, 9 games in, Arteta is successful nan different and unexpected position of glancing into his wing-mirror and catching flashes of Bournemouth and Sunderland. Yes, you publication that right.

More pertinently, contempt August’s conclusion astatine Anfield, 1 successful which Arteta was criticised for driving pinch some handbrake and a steering fastener on, nan spread to Liverpool is now 7 points.

Whereas successful nan not-too-distant past nan Sunday late-lunch slot was a reward for Arsenal’s nonaccomplishment to suffice for nan Champions League, and shanks of lamb aliases briskets of beef were prioritised, those days are gone.

Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi holds disconnected Bukayo Saka astatine nan Emirates. Photograph: John Walton/PA

Now each fixtures transportation some anticipation and expectation. There is simply a increasing consciousness that this is Arsenal’s season. It has to beryllium their season. If not now, when? The last whistle successful west London precocious connected Saturday was met by whooping and hollering successful nan pubs and sitting rooms of N5.

Those approaching nan Emirates from Holloway Road conduit position earlier nan lucifer were divided. Some were confident, cocky even, that title talk was allowable. For each 1 of them, though, location was a shusher, a sound of reason. In nan mediate of nan Venn sketch sat those simply not yet prepared to utter nan words aloud. For astir of nan first half, nan doubters were proven right.

Until his goal, Eze was, but for his lime-green footwear, virtually unnoticeable. A mates of surges forward, a twist and a move here, but small else. The 1 clip he reached nan separator of nan area, Adam Wharton was location pinch a sliding challenge.

It is possibly a tad unfair to azygous Eze retired – his teammates hardly offered overmuch sparkle – but fixed his £67.5m summertime return to nan nine that rejected him arsenic a 13-year-old, he was people spotlighted.

Arsenal’s first effort connected extremity did not travel until nan half-hour, erstwhile Leandro Trossard sorted his balance, weight and feet successful nan area to unit a low, if regulation, prevention from Dean Henderson.

By then, Palace had enjoyed 3 efforts, albeit for a mixed xG of 0.09. They had been coagulated and stoic, organised to wrong a fraction of a yard. Their supposedly adventurous 3-4-2-1 often was really a much reserved 5-4-1 but what does that matter? It was working. Their biggest opening came via a misplaced Martin Zubimendi pass. Ismaïla Sarr sewage his changeable away, but Gabriel Magalhães was location to block.

But virtually Palace’s first correction led to them conceding. Jurrien Timber held disconnected respective golden shirts earlier yet Daichi Kamada fouled him adjacent nan correct touchline. Oliver Glasner turned and hit nan aerial successful frustration. He knew and truthful it proved. From Declan Rice’s free-kick, Eze scored. “Set portion again, olé, olé”.

The day could person travel tension-free soon aft nan break. A clever free-kick (what else?) ended pinch Rice clipping to nan backmost post. Gabriel collapsed his header disconnected nan bar, pinch Rice’s follow-up blocked by Henderson. From distance, Bukayo Saka coiled nan recycled shot conscionable wide.

Arsenal did not conscionable person possession now, but momentum and a small guile, too. Gabriel clipped a walk towards Trossard and, while his touch was heavy, he still sewage a shot-cum-cross into nan six-yard box. Tyrick Mitchell cleared a fraction earlier Saka arrived.

Despite their dominance, location supporters grimaced erstwhile Glasner introduced Eddie Nketiah connected nan hour. Surely not?

But location was nary turned tide. Instead, Gabriel gave everything to scope a back-post corner. The reward? A header that half nan crushed thought was successful but really went narrowly wide, positive a achy gathering pinch nan upright.

Twenty minutes aft appearing astatine his aged ground, Nketiah burst down nan left, doing Cristhian Mosquera – a half-time substitute for William Saliba, who had started contempt pre-game wounded doubts – for pace. Marc Guéhi could not steer his header from nan area goalward.

David Raya was not called into meaningful action and each that remained was for Eze to person a opinionated ovation from each portion of nan ground.

Second; 2nd; 2nd; 1st? Hmm. TBC. But advantage Arsenal? You bet.