Football Review | Arsenal 1 - 0 Crystal Palace

A battling performance from Arteta’s side.

Eberechi Eze struck against his former club as Arsenal edged past Crystal Palace to move four points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Author | DJ

Stadium | Emirates Stadium

Signed for £67m in the summer, Eze delivered the decisive moment from a familiar Arsenal routine. Declan Rice swung a free-kick into the box, Gabriel climbed highest to knock it down and Eze reacted with an acrobatic finish into the bottom corner.

Palace, still nursing the disappointment of their midweek defeat to AEK Larnaca, showed occasional signs of life. Jean-Philippe Mateta worked tirelessly up front and gave Arsenal’s defence something to think about, yet David Raya remained largely untested.

Arsenal came close to adding a second after the interval. Gabriel crashed a header against the bar and Bukayo Saka bent a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area.

Victory extends Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 10 matches in all competitions and keeps them firmly in control of the title race as the season gathers pace.

Why Arsenal are people's favourites to win the title

Arsenal’s early-season progress has been underlined by an improvement in fixtures that proved costly last term. Their results against Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham and Crystal Palace show a stark contrast. Where they once surrendered 10 points across those matches as their title push faded, they have now beaten all four.

Last season brought draws at Fulham and at home to Palace, along with defeats at Newcastle and against West Ham at the Emirates. Those setbacks contributed to a third straight second-place finish, leaving them 10 points adrift of Liverpool and highlighting the fine margins that shape a title race.

What adds further weight to Arsenal’s current position is their demanding fixture list. They have already faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle away, and welcomed Manchester City to north London, yet remain four points clear at the summit ahead of Bournemouth.

Their momentum contrasts sharply with the struggles of the usual contenders. It is the first time since 1992 that none of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea occupy a top-four spot at this stage of the season, a sign of shifting dynamics in the Premier League.

Best Palace reaction

Thank you for all the support this afternoon ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/0Fiq6LmEA3

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) October 26, 2025

After the match, we spoke to a number of Palace fans who were all happy with the performance despite this being a third game without a win in the league. 

James: Disappointing, but hardly unexpected. This group has delivered superbly, achieving more than any previous side. Going at full tilt has left them drained and a little untidy. It feels like a temporary dip. They should recover.

Alex: Another match with just one effort on target. The spark has disappeared from the last couple of outings, and the late changes offered little improvement. The players look fatigued. Some rotation is required, with Nketiah for Mateta and Esse or Uche replacing Pino.

Stephen: Arsenal were there to be beaten, but once again Palace lacked composure in the box. Sarr and Pino offered little. Mateta worked tirelessly, yet struggled to retain possession. Wharton and Kamada spent long spells chasing the game and must offer more in terms of goals.