Eberechi Eze's first Premier League goal for Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory against his former club, Crystal Palace, at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, extending the Gunners' lead at the top of the table. Eze's sublime half-volley, fired home from an Arsenal set-piece, proved to be the difference in a tightly contested match.
The win marks Arsenal's seventh consecutive victory in all competitions and their fourth straight league win. It also extends their lead to four points over second-placed Bournemouth and six points ahead of Manchester City, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa. Defending champions Liverpool are a further point behind.
Despite their recent dominant 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, Arsenal found it difficult to break down a resolute Crystal Palace defense in the first half. Palace, fresh off a loss to AEK Larnaca, proved to be a tough opponent, restricting Arsenal to few clear-cut chances in the opening stages.
Arsenal's first shot didn't come until the 33rd minute when Leandro Trossard's effort was easily saved. However, just six minutes later, Eze produced a moment of brilliance. Declan Rice's curled delivery from a set-piece was nodded back into Eze's path, and the midfielder unleashed an unstoppable half-volley into the net.
The goal was Eze's first in the league for Arsenal since joining from Crystal Palace in the summer. He previously scored the FA Cup-winning goal for the Eagles in May.
In the second half, Arsenal continued to press, with Gabriel hitting the crossbar. However, Palace remained a threat on the counter-attack, although they failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match. Arsenal's solid defense, which has now kept five consecutive clean sheets and conceded just three times in 13 matches across all competitions, held firm to secure the victory.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed he has been working on set-piece strategies for a decade. This focus has clearly paid off, with set-pieces becoming an increasingly important source of goals for the Gunners.
While it wasn't a spectacular performance from Arsenal, the win demonstrates their ability to grind out results even when not at their best. The victory moves them closer to their title aspirations, while Crystal Palace will be disappointed to leave the Emirates empty-handed.
