Eberechi Eze fired Arsenal to a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace to move four points clear at the Premier League summit.
Eze netted his winner against his former team from a loose 39th-minute header from Declan Rice’s initial free-kick delivery into the box to settle a scrappy contest.
Arsenal now sit four points clear at the summit ahead of Bournemouth who beat Nottingham Forest to climb to second in the table, whilst Palace slipped to tenth as their winless run extended to four matches in all competitions.
Knowing that victory coupled with draws or defeats for Manchester City and Bournemouth would extend their title lead to five points, Arsenal began on the front foot but often lacked a clinical final touch.
Palace however soaked up their pressure and won a ninth-minute corner after a pass to Yeremy Pino was blocked, from which Marc Guehi’s header was cleared.
Ismaila Sarr saw a 22nd-minute shot blocked by Gabriel whilst Adam Wharton fired wide five minutes later, as Oliver Glasner’s Eagles continued to pile on their counter-attacking pressure.
Arsenal eventually achieved their first shot on target in the 33rd minute as a move found Declan Rice on the left, and he calmly teed up Leandro Trossard whose low shot was straight into Dean Henderson’s palms.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners subsequently turned up the pressure until Bukayo Saka forced a 39th-minute free-kick, from which Rice’s delivery was nodded down for Eze to smash into the right corner against his former team.
Arsenal continued to push for a second goal either side of half time but Saka curled wide of the left corner after various players saw shots blocked from a 50th-minute corner.
Trossard, Viktor Gyokeres and Riccardo Calafiori saw further chances go to waste, whilst ex Gunner – Eddie Nketiah saw a 70th-minute header saved by David Raya.
Arsenal eventually clung on for the win amidst a late Palace fightback which put them four points clear at the summit.
What’s Next?
Arsenal are back in action on Wednesday 29 October as they host Brighton in the fourth round of this season’s Carabao Cup at 7:45pm, before returning to league action on 1 November (3pm) at Burnley.
Palace too are in Carabao Cup action on Wednesday as they visit Liverpool at Anfield in a 7:45pm kick-off, before they return their focus to the top flight with a home clash against London rivals – Brentford at 3pm.
Teams
Arsenal: David Raya, Jurrien Timber, William Saliba (Mosquera 46′), Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori (Hincapie 82′), Eberechi Eze (Lewis-Skelly 88′), Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice (Merino 82′), Bukayo Saka (Martinelli 66′), Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard
Substitutes: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Piero Hincapie, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, Cristhian Mosquera, Ethan Nwaneri, Christian Norgaard, Ben White
Crystal Palace: Dean Henderson, Chris Richards, Maxime Lacroix, Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz (Uche 91′), Adam Wharton (Lerma 91′), Daichi Kamada (Hughes 74′), Tyrick Mitchell (Sosa 91′), Ismaila Sarr, Yeremy Pino (Nketiah 59′), Jean-Philippe Mateta
Substitutes: Walter Benitez, Jaydee Canvot, Nathaniel Clyne, Justin Devenny, Will Hughes, Jefferson Lerma, Eddie Nketiah, Borna Sosa, Christiantus Uche
Referee – Thomas Bramall