With the chances clear cut few and far between, Arsenal again resorted to their set-piece mastery to achieve a goal. Declan Rice passed a routine to the back post six minutes before the second half through a well-worked routine. Gabriel Magalhaes returned the ball across the goal. An unmarked Eberechi Eze got a spectacular volley with his scissor-kick. He scored his first goals in the Premier League with the Gunners.
Defensive Resilience in League Standings
The match report is all that was requiring to win another clean sheet. The fifth in a row in all competitions that Arsenal has won. Only 3 out of 13 matches in this season have the defense been violated. Crystal Palace has managed to shoot not a single shot in the Emirates. This was also a milestone performance. Arsenal have now played 100 games in a row without letting in three goals. This is the same record only held by Manchester United before.
The three goals secured the first place for Arsenal with a cushion of four points over these- second-place Bournemouth. The win was also much sweeter as the Gunners’ two main rivals; Manchester City and Liverpool lost their respective matches over the weekend, therefore granting the club a six and seven-point buffer over them, respectively.
Concerning Injuries in Squad
Mikel Arteta spoke out about his concerns regarding injuries in the post-match interview, suggesting that the triumph came at a cost. Half-time saw the ejection of defender William Saliba while midfielder Declan Rice and defender Riccardo Calafiori were both became part of substitution due to minor injuries. Arteta implied that the team would have to closely monitor their recuperations.
Moreover, the report suggests that Bukayo Saka was playing sick and was out in the second half, while Gabriel Martinelli was also feeling “uncomfortable” in the match after his substitution.
Manager’s Reaction
Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta appreciated the ugly side of the victory. He said that I just told the boys I treasure this victory more than any other victory this season, because, to break down a well-organized Palace team was not easy, and that you must take advantage of their lost points.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
