ARSENAL are have secured a crucial opening day win at Crystal Palace.
Gabriel Martinelli gave them the lead in the first half as he finished off a clever corner routine which saw an unmarked Oleksandr Zinchenko bag an assist.
And Bukayo Saka’s cross deflected off the unfortunate Marc Guehi to double the Gunners’ lead late on as they picked up a comfortable victory.
PLAY DREAM TEAM NOW FOR FREE WITH £100k IN PRIZE MONEY
Arteta hints at further transfers
Mikel Arteta has suggested the club are after new signings this summer.
The Spaniard said: “We are going to try, there are a few things we have planned.”
“If we can do them it would be great, but now it’s work with the players we have, we are in the middle of the season already.”
After Jamie Carragher probed the Arsenal boss for names, Arteta joked: “Not yet, you are in contention!”
The North London side continue to be linked with Youri Tielemans.
Andersen wanted to ‘irritate’ Arsenal
Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen played a brilliant game from the back this evening, making key tackles whilst impressing with his range of passing. He praised his side’s game plan:
We played a good game, but we need to do better. We need that killer instinct to get that goal. We had 2 clear cut chances, we have to score. We did exactly what we spoke about, to be in their faces, be annoying, just irritate them, we know they don’t like that.
Joachim Andersen, Crystal Palace defender
.Credit: Reuters Viera reflects
The Crystal Palace boss discusses his side’s finishing and defeat.
We created enough chances to score at least one goal. If you don’t take those chances, you leave yourself vulnerable. The difference is they too their chances and we didn’t… this is something we have to work on.
Patrick Viera, Crystal Palace boss
Palace looked well in the game for large periods of tonight’s contest.
.Credit: Reuters
Eagles next 5 fixtures
- Liverpool (A)
- Aston Villa (H)
- Manchester City (A)
- Brentford (H)
- Newcastle (A)
.Credit: Reuters Gunners next 5 fixtures
- Leicester (H)
- Bournemouth (A)
- Fulham (H)
- Aston Villa (H)
- Manchester United (A)
League leaders
Arsenal go top of the Premier League… for at least 17 hours or so.
.Credit: Reuters Arteta pleased with mentality
Mikel Arteta’s men had to weather the storm for large periods of the second half, but came away winners in the end.
Here’s what the boss had to say on the performance:
That’s the game we wanted to play, to win here you need to suffer, we’ve done it and that’s part of the mentality we want to build.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal boss
.Credit: PA Mr half-century
Saliba by numbers
- 100% aerial duels won
- 94% pass accuracy
- 49 passes
- 7 clearances
- 0x dribbled past
- 0 fouls committed
Worth the wait?
.Credit: AFP
Off to a flying start
Arsenal have won more games and scored more goals today than they managed during the entirety of August last year.
Saliba discusses performance
A very calm William Saliba spoke on his side’s opening day win:
It was tough but we are happy to win today. We knew it would be hard here so we stayed compact and strong. Its been a long time I’ve been waiting for this moment and I am so happy to start with a win and clean sheet.
William Saliba, Arsenal defender
‘New’ boy named man of the match
On his first ever competitive Arsenal start, William Saliba is awarded the man of the match award after an assured performance at the back.
He had the perfect balance of composure and aggression today, barely putting a foot wrong.
Exciting signs for Gunners fans.
.Credit: EPA FULL TIME – Palace 0-2 Arsenal
Anthony Taylor blows his whistle and Arsenal come away with all three points in South London.
Martinelli and a Marc Guehi own goal settled it. The perfect start to Arteta’s season.
Palace gave it their all but they couldn’t make their chances count in the end.
.Credit: Getty Palace 0-2 Arsenal
90+3, You can only hear the Arsenal fans inside here now. The Palace faithful have been deflated.
Arsenal substitution – Palace 0-2 Arsenal
90+2, Odegaard makes way for Lokonga to see out this match.
Palace 0-2 Arsenal
90, There will be three added minutes here. The game has gone flat since Arsenal’s second. Arteta will be one relieved man.
Palace 0-2 Arsenal
89, A Viera chant rings round Selhurst Park from the Arsenal fans. He might be managing the opposition, but they still love him.
Unless they are referring to their new signing, Fabio Vieira?
Palace 0-2 Arsenal
87, That will go down as a Marc Guehi own goal. It was a really dangerous ball across from Saka, mind.
Palace will feel hard done by. Pure relief for Arsenal.
GOAL! – Palace 0-2 Arsenal
84, Out of nowhere, Saka scores to double Arsenal’s lead!
They are surely home and dry now.
The visitors work it well into Partey who finds Saka in space. The Englishman goes the long way round and fires one across goal. It takes a nick of Guehi’s head and flies past Guehi.
That will hurt Palace who were really threatening.
Arsenal substitutions – Palace 0-1 Arsenal
82, Arteta finally makes his changes.
Tierney and Nketiah are on for the visitors. Debutants Zinchenko and Jesus make way.
Palace 0-1 Arsenal
80, Arsenal living life on the edge!
Ayew breaks into the box with some dancing feet.
Palace then spray it to Zaha who turns White inside out before flashing a ball across the face of goal, evading the touch of Mateta.
It’s all Palace at the moment. Arsenal can’t get out.
Palace 0-1 Arsenal
77, Zaha skips past Partey as he slides in on the winger. Saliba is there to step in but the free-kick is brought back for Partey’s challenge.
These are nervous moments for Arteta.
Palace 0-1 Arsenal
76, Ayew curls in a wicked ball, but Mateta is judged to have pushed Gabriel to the floor in the box, conceding a free kick.
Palace substitution – Palace 0-1 Arsenal
74, Play can resume and Milivojevic replaces Doucoure for the last 15 minutes or so.
Palace 0-1 Arsenal
73, Doucoure goes down with cramp and both sets of players take the opportunity for a water-break.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
