Key Takeaways:
- Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the London derby from the ninth round of the Premier League
- Eberechi Eze scored the match’s only goal in the 39th minute, punishing his previous club
- The win extended Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table to four points above Bournemouth after Manchester City’s draw with Aston Villa
Match Analysis
Arsenal edged past Crystal Palace with a narrow 1-0 win in their London derby encounter in the ninth round of the Premier League. Eberechi Eze proved decisive against his former team, striking from close range in the 39th minute after a well-worked set piece. The hosts, led by Mikel Arteta, delivered another composed but unspectacular performance, efficiently capitalising on a dead-ball situation to claim all three points. Although the Gunners controlled the flow of the match, they struggled to carve out clear scoring opportunities from open play.
Eberechi Eze scores his first Premier League goal for Arsenal against his former club Crystal Palace 💥 pic.twitter.com/hlCPt5hfJk
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 26, 2025
The encounter began with Arsenal routinely dominating possession and linking play with patient passing. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, attempted to exploit errors by their hosts through rapid counter-attacks. In the 22nd minute, Ismaïla Sarr dispossessed an opponent in midfield and made a powerful run into the box, only to be thwarted by the defence. Merely two minutes later, another Palace break required David Raya to intervene with a crucial save, denying the visitors a potential opener.
Key Moments and Player Performances
Arsenal registered their first effort on target just after the half-hour mark. A swift counter culminated in Leandro Trossard firing a shot at Dean Henderson, though the Palace goalkeeper was not unduly troubled. The breakthrough arrived via Arsenal’s now-familiar strength in set-piece situations, as Gabriel Magalhães nodded on a free kick towards Eberechi Eze, who made no mistake from close range to put the hosts ahead.
Shortly after the interval, Arsenal nearly doubled their advantage. Declan Rice’s cross located Gabriel Magalhães, whose header struck the woodwork. The rebound fell to a teammate, only for the Palace defence to block the follow-up. Bukayo Saka then placed a shot agonisingly wide of Henderson’s upright. Another dangerous attack saw Trossard deliver a precise ball into the area; Marc Guéhi intervened decisively before Saka could apply a finishing touch. Arsenal continued pressing with several threatening moves into the Palace penalty box during this spell.
The home side intensified their pressure after the break, particularly from set-piece scenarios. In the 68th minute, Arsenal again came close, with two players almost converting from a dead-ball opportunity, only for the chance to go begging due to a timely clearance. Crystal Palace began posing greater attacking intent after the 75th minute. Viktor Gyökeres attempted to exploit space down the channel in the 79th minute but found himself quickly closed down. The visitors’ response saw a swift move and cross from the left, yet Jean-Philippe Mateta could not get on the end of it ahead of Gabriel Magalhães.
Premier League Standings Impact
This victory saw Arsenal extend their advantage at the summit of the Premier League, sitting four points clear of Bournemouth, who are currently second following Manchester City’s dropped points against Aston Villa. The “Gunners” have now recorded three wins on the bounce and four victories from their previous five matches. For Crystal Palace, this fixture marked only their second defeat this season and their first in the last five outings.
