Eberechi Eze shines, £55m star flops – Arsenal’s three winners and three losers vs Crystal Palace
Arsenal continued their fine form with a narrow victory over London rivals Crystal Palace, to open up a four point gap at the top of the Premier League table.
Eberechi Eze scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute to give the Gunners what could prove to be a priceless three points.
Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat at Brentford a day earlier made the contest more important for Mikel Arteta’s side, and they took full advantage with a hard fought win.
Below are the three winners and three losers from the contest for Arsenal.
Winners
Eberechi Eze
Eze joined Arsenal from Crystal Palace in the summer, and the 27-year-old scored his first goal for the Gunners against his former club.
It was a perfectly struck volley from inside the penalty area which was a moment Arsenal required in a frustrating first half.
Without captain Martin Odegaard, Eze stepped up how Arteta will have wanted the midfielder to do so in the Norwegian’s absence.
Declan Rice
Declan Rice’s set-piece deliveies were again a key factor in this win, and the 26-year-old also had another superb game.
Rice’s set-piece lead to Eze’s goal, whilst a delivery in the second half nearly saw Gabriel profit with his header slamming the bar.
| Minutes Played | 82 |
| Touches | 72 |
| Aerial Duels Won % | 100% |
| Ground Duels Won % | 60% |
| Tackles Won % | 67% |
The midfielder’s tenaciousness again proved vital and it will have concerned supporters that he had to be withdrawn with eight minutes remaining.
Cristian Mosquera
Cristian Mosquera suffered from a poor performance at Newcastle in the last match he started for the Gunners, but the Spaniard reassured fans of his qualities against Crystal Palace.
Mosquera slotted in seamlessly alongside Gabriel in the second half and highlighted the strong squad depth that Arteta has avaliable.
The 21-year-old has proved a smart find and a excellent purchase for Arsenal’s title charge this season.
Losers
Leandro Trossard
Leandro Trossard was left on the bench for Arsenal’s 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek.
Gabriel Martinelli scored and put in a positive performance in that match, and perhaps could have counted himself unlucky not to start here.
The left flank spot still seems one up for grabs, which Noni Madueke may be eyeing up when he returns from injury.
Viktor Gyokeres
It was another frustrating afternoon for Viktor Gyokeres, who could not build on his double against Atletico.
Whilst Gyokeres battled hard and put himself about, ultimately the striker will be judged on his goal tally and he has only scored three in the Premier League so far.
The Sweden international is likely to keep his place in the team due to Kai Havertz’s absence, but the German’s return could mean greater rotation in the position.
William Saliba
The centre-back had to be withdrawn at half-time, in what will be a worry for Arsenal supporters.
William Saliba did not look to have picked up an injury in the first half, but the Frenchman was replaced by Mosquera.
Saliba is still firmly a first name on the team sheet, but with an increased amount of options at Arteta’s disposal an injury layoff is not ideal for his place in the starting XI.