Eze strikes against former club as Arsenal extend lead at the top | OneFootball

Eberechi Eze scored against his former club to give Arsenal a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points.

The hosts struggled to find rhythm in the first half, with Palace congesting the midfield and limiting chances.

Bukayo Saka impressed briefly with a nutmeg and some neat runs, while Leandro Trossard saw a tame effort saved by Dean Henderson. Palace themselves offered little goal threat, although Jean-Philippe Mateta caused Arsenal a few problems on the break.

The only goal of the game came in the 39th minute when Eze reacted first to a Declan Rice free-kick that Gabriel flicked on, and acrobatically firing the ball into the corner.

The second half saw the Gunners push to double their advantage. Gabriel crashed a header against the crossbar from another Rice corner, while Saka curled an effort just wide.

Palace rarely threatened, and David Raya remained largely untroubled, keeping his ninth clean sheet in 12 games across the Premier League and Champions League.

Arsenal’s dominance in possession told, even if the final third lacked sharpness, but Oliver Glasner's side were unable to mount any serious comeback.

In the end, Eze’s first-half strike was enough. The win keeps Mikel Arteta's men unbeaten in ten matches in all competitions and stretches their lead at the top at a crucial stage of the season, while Palace slip to four games without a win.