Premier League

ARSENAL fans mocked Crystal Palace by chanting Patrick Vieira’s name during their 4-1 win at the Emirates on Sunday.The Gunners extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to eight points with a comfortable win over the Eagles.
Arsenal fans chanted Patrick Vieira’s name during their win over Crystal PalaceCredit: PA
Vieira was dismissed by Palace following a poor run of resultsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
It came just two days after Palace sacked Arsenal legend Vieira after 18 months in charge at Selhurst Park.
But the former French international’s departure did little to prevent them from extending their winless run to 13 games.
And the North London faithful were quick to taunt the visiting supporters by singing Vieira’s name.
They could be heard bellowing: “He comes from Senegal, he played for Arsenal. Vieira, whoa, Vieira, whoa.”
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Vieira won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups during a stellar nine years at Highbury.
And Arsenal fans on social media were loving the reception he was given at the Emirates.
One person said: “Arsenal fans open by singing “Vieira” tribute. Gone from Palace, but never forgotten as a Gunner.”
Another added: “Chants of Vieira ringing around the Emirates. Love to see it.”
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And a third reacted: “Arsenal fans singing Patrick Vieira’s chant 😭❤️❤️.”
Palace’s defeat to Arsenal leaves them 12th in the Premier League table, just three points above the relegation zone.
Roy Hodgson is being linked with a shock managerial return until the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Vieira is reportedly in the frame for the vacant USA national team job. More

ROB HOLDING shined as cover for the injured William Salliba during Arsenal’s win over Crystal Palace.The Gunners hammered managerless Palace at the Emirates to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points.
Rob Holdin put in a solid showing against PalaceCredit: Getty
Gabriel Magalhaes, however, looked to be the weaker part of the side as he adapts to his new defensive partner.
Gabriel Martinelli bounced back from his penalty miss against Sporting Lisbon to put Arsenal on their way.
Bukayo Saka added a second before the break before Granit Xhaka made it three in the 55th minute.
Jeffrey Schlupp grabbed one for the visitors before Saka netted his brace to wrap up all three points.

SunSport’s Jordan Davies rates Arsenal’s players…
AARON RAMSDALE 7/10
Got lucky with a shot that bounced off the post and onto his legs for a corner, but denied Odsonne Edouard with a smart stop despite the Eagles striker being offside.
BEN WHITE 7
Allowed Zaha to cut in with shot onto post, only to make up for it with a brilliant assist for Saka just before half time. Defensively solid throughout.
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ROB HOLDING 8
A first Premier League start of the season with Willian Saliba out, but it did not look that way. Made several key tackles and headers, while his cross-field switches were impressive.
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GABRIEL 6
Gabriel Magalhaes was not at his best against PalaceCredit: EPA
Uncharacteristically sloppy at the back, stripped on numerous occasions and fortunate not to be punished for it. Arsenal fans will be hoping this was just an off day.
OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO 7
At his composed and assured self. Kept the ball ticking as Palace attempted to be resolute and solid in the opening stages and up the other end his perfect through ball set up Granit Xhaka.
THOMAS PARTEY 7
A quiet game by his recent standards, not that he did anything wrong. Was barely put under pressure by the Palace midfield. Arguably his most comfortable outing of the campaign.
GRANIT XHAKA 8
Granit Xhaka scored Arsenal’s third goalCredit: EPA
There were concerns he had seriously injured his knee in the first half, yet recovered with a toe-poke of a strike to make it 3-0 just after the break.
MARTIN ODEGAARD 7
Appeared determined to score with several attempts from range, and continued to be at the heart of everything that was good about Arsenal. Perhaps should have done better to stop Jeffrey Schlupp’s consolation effort from a corner.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI 8
A constant menace down the left up against a hapless Joel Ward. The Brazilian took on the Palace full-back brilliantly before firing into the far corner for his side’s opener.
BUKAYO SAKA 10
Bukayo Saka netted a braceCredit: Reuters
A slow start but soon got into his immaculate stride. Two goals and an assist in a near-perfect display that will have Gareth Southgate drooling ahead of the international break.
LEANDRO TROSSARD 7
Could not be faulted for his effort and showed why he is so valuable to this injury-stricken Arsenal squad right now. Deserved a goal, but will be pleased with another assist for Xhaka.
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SUBS
GABRIEL JESUS 6 (TROSSARD 65)
Still looks rusty, but that is to be expected at this stage of his comeback. The minutes and home ovation would have done him the world of good.
KIERAN TIERNEY 7 (ZINCHENKO 65)
Has the almost impossible task of trying to displace Zinchenko from the starting XI but did his chances of that no harm with an assist to his name for Arsenal’s fourth.
EMILE SMITH-ROWE N/A (MARTINELLI, 83)
JORGINHO N/A (WHITE, 83)
JAKUB KIWIOR N/A (GABRIEL, 86) More

WHAT do points make? Prizes.And if Arsenal continue to play their cards right, there’s absolutely nothing Manchester City can do to stop them from claiming the jackpot.
Gabriel Martinelli fired Arsenal ahead on 28 minutesCredit: Getty
Bukayo Saka doubled Arsenal’s lead just before the breakCredit: Getty
Granit Xhaka scored his second goal in two games for the Gunners’ thirdCredit: Reuters
Saka swept home Arsenal’s fourth to make the points safeCredit: Reuters
Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring team might be running riot in the Champions League and the FA Cup.
But the gap at the top of the table is now up to eight points and even with Erling Haaland in your team, that is going to take some closing.
And while Arsenal might not have a 42-goal striker in their ranks, this sixth straight League win was welcome confirmation that they are not about to lose their nerve any time soon.
Mikel Arteta’s youngsters now have just ten more games remaining while City have a minimum of 14 and maybe as many as 18 still to play.
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It was Arsenal’s opening day win at Selhurst Park which gave the first hint that they just might be a force to be reckoned with this season.
They have continued to lead from the front pretty much ever since and can now see the finishing line hoving into view.
This was their ninth London derby victory of the season, a new top flight record, and one which leaves Crystal Palace managerless, rudderless and pretty much hopeless.
The sacking of former Arsenal idol Patrick Vieira on Friday failed to produce the response which chairman Steve Parish had been hoping for.
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It means they are still without a single win in 12 League games in 2023 and are now contemplating sending out an SOS call to 75-year-old Roy Hodgson.
At least they managed to end their 444 minute goal drought when Jeffrey Schlupp finally found the target with the game already lost.
But it was scant consolation for a team who are now just three points above the relegation zone having played more games than most of the teams below them.
It is almost impossible to understand how Palace have remained 12th in the table throughout their long winless run stretching all the way back to stretching all the way back to New Year’s Eve.
But like a marathon runner who has hit the wall, the chasing pack are now about to swallow them up and that’s why panic has broken out in their boardroom.
And with their ten-year run in the top flight now seriously under threat, you have to wonder if Under-21 coach Paddy McCarthy is the right man to save them.
This might have been their final match in a run of fixtures from hell for Palace and from here on in their schedule looks considerably kinder.
But that won’t mean a thing unless they can remember how to start winning again.
Yet it might all have been so different if Wilfried Zaha’s tenth minute shot against the base of the post had rebounded in off Aaron Ramsdale instead of just wide.
It was another eight minutes before Arsenal tested rookie Joe Whitworth with a shot from Martin Odegaard which the 19-year-old keeper, playing only his second game for Palace, was more than equal to.
But the 19-year-old keeper had no chance when Bukayo Saka’s 28th minute cross picked out Gabriel Martinelli to cut inside Joel Ward and fire an unstoppable shot into the far corner.
That was Martinelli’s 13th goal of the season and it was certainly bad luck for the struggling visitors.
They had already lost central defender Joachim Andersen to an injury suffered in the pre-match warm-up and must have known right then that this was not going to be their day.
Those fears were confirmed just before the break when Arsenal doubled their lead to leave poor Palace needing snookers.
Granit Xhaka’s drive across the face of goal was retrieved by Saka and when he exchanged passes with Ben White, Zaha didn’t even bother to chase him back to leave Saka free to pick his spot.
Xhaka put the game beyond doubt when he stabbed home from Leandro Trossard’s 55th minute through ball despite a shove in the back from the hapless Ward.
And though Schlupp briefly reduced the arrears when Odegaard failed to deal with a 63rd minute corner, that just heralded the introduction of Gabriel Jesus from the bench.
Zaha went close again with a low shot which flashed just the wrong side of Ramsdale’s far post.
But any fanciful thoughts of a Palace comeback were ended in the 75th minute when Saka struck again from Kieran Tierney’s low cut back.
Palace claimed that Jesus was obstructing Whitworth’s view from an offside position but even VAR was not on their side as things went from bad to worse for the sorry South Londoners.
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Now Arsenal can look forward to the two-week international break to regroup and rest up some of their key players.
And Palace have two weeks to come up with a new manager before it is too late to stop the rot.
Jeffrey Schlupp pulled one back for Crystal PalaceCredit: Getty More