Arsenal move four points clear at top as Eze strike sees off Crystal Palace

It had to be him. It could only be him, really. Eberechi Eze would not have wished his first Premier League goal for Arsenal to come against Crystal Palace. Somewhat because they are his former employer, a club he holds dear. But, frankly, more so that it has taken a while to arrive. However, Eze’s timing was impeccable. With Liverpool’s fourth consecutive league defeat coming at Brentford on Saturday night, Arsenal were presented an opening. Opportunities such as this simply must not be missed if a first league title since 2003‑04 is to be won. There was a gap to be extended. Related: ‘I value more this victory than any other’: beating Palace delights Arteta After his team had spent nearly an entire half offering up stodgy bread pudding when light and fluffy meringue was required, Eze provided the momentary magic for which Mikel Arteta et al longed. Both feet off the ground, with the ball not quite settled, the 27‑year‑old adjusted and volleyed a first‑time strike that whipped the home crowd into delight. Three times the stadium announcer bellowed into the north London air: “Eberechi!” Three times the call was met with a loud response. One-nil to the Arsenal. The watching George Graham purred. And so, nine games in, Arteta is in the unusual and unexpected position of glancing into his wing-mirror and catching flashes of Bournemouth and Sunderland. Yes, you read that right. More pertinently, despite defeat in August at Anfield, one in which Arteta was criticised for driving with both handbrake and steering lock on, Liverpool are seven chevrons back and Manchester City are only a point closer. Whereas in the not-too-distant past the Sunday late-lunch slot was a punishment for Arsenal’s failure to qualify for the Champions League, supporters prioritising shanks of lamb or briskets of beef, those days are gone. Now all fixtures carry both anticipation and expectation, and the sense is growing that this is Arsenal’s season. It has to be. If not now, when? Those approaching the Emirates Stadium from Holloway Road tube station before the match were divided on that point. Some were loudly confident, cocky even, that title talk was allowable. For every one of them, though, there was a shusher, a voice of reason. The Venn diagram’s overlap zone was reserved for those simply not yet prepared to utter the words aloud. For most of the first half, the doubters were proved right. Until his goal Eze was, but for his lime-green footwear, virtually unnoticeable. A couple of surges forward, a twist here, a turn there, but little else. Palace did not allow it. The only time their former player approached the area, Adam Wharton greeted him with a sliding challenge. Singling out Eze is perhaps a tad unfair given his teammates lacked sparkle. But with his £67.5m summer return to the club that rejected him as a 13-year-old, Eze was naturally front and centre. Arsenal’s first goalward effort arrived on the half-hour, Leandro Trossard sorting his balance, weight and feet in the area to force a low if regulation save from Dean Henderson. By then, Palace had enjoyed three shots, albeit for a combined xG of 0.09. They had been solid and stoic, organised to within a fraction of a yard. Their supposedly adventurous 3-4-2-1 often was really a more reserved 5-4-1, but what does that matter? It was working. Their biggest opening came via a misplaced Martin Zubimendi pass. Ismaïla Sarr got his shot away, but Gabriel Magalhães was there to block. Palace’s first misstep led to them conceding. Jurrien Timber held off several gold shirts before eventually Yeremy Pino fouled him near the right touchline. Oliver Glasner turned and beat the air in frustration. He knew. From Declan Rice’s free-kick, Eze scored. “Set piece again, olé, olé”. The afternoon could have become tension-free soon after the break. A clever free-kick – what else? – involved interchange between Eze and Rice, before the latter pitch‑wedged a cross to the back post. Gabriel crashed his header off the bar, with Rice’s follow‑up blocked by Henderson. From distance, Bukayo Saka curled the recycled ball just wide. Arsenal did not just have possession now, but momentum and a little guile, too. Gabriel’s clip blindsided Daniel Muñoz and, while Trossard’s initial touch was heavy, he still got a shot-cum-cross into the six-yard box. Tyrick Mitchell cleared a fraction before Saka arrived. Despite their dominance, home supporters grimaced when Glasner introduced Eddie Nketiah on the hour. Surely not. But there was no turned tide. Instead, Gabriel gave everything to reach a back-post corner. The reward? A header that half the ground thought was in but actually went narrowly wide, plus a painful meeting with the upright. Related: Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace, Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City and more: Premier League clockwatch – live With 10 minutes left, Nketiah burst down the left, doing for pace Cristhian Mosquera – a replacement for William Saliba, who had started despite pre‑game injury doubts but lasted just 45 minutes. From the corner Marc Guéhi could not steer his header goalward. David Raya was not called into meaningful action but there was concern regarding Rice, who limped off with eight minutes left. All that remained was for Eze to receive a standing ovation from every part of the ground. Second; 2nd; 2nd; 1st? TBC. But advantage Arsenal? You bet.