Arsenal moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table with an impressive 4-1 win against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners are showing no signs of stuttering in their title race with Manchester City with just 10 games left to play this season.
Mikel Arteta was hampered by two significant injury blows to William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu coming into Sunday afternoon's clash. The French defender suffered a muscle injury in his back against Sporting CP, whilst the Japan international's injury is thought to be 'serious' as he left the Emirates Stadium on crutches following Arsenal's Europa League exit on Thursday night.
Rob Holding was drafted into the backline and impressed alongside Gabriel Magalhaes on a comfortable afternoon for the Gunners. A crucial run of fixtures await Arsenal after the international break with games against City, Liverpool and Chelsea rapidly approaching, but they are in the best position they could have asked for after the weekend.
READ MORE: Every word Mikel Arteta said on Tomiyasu and Saliba injuries, Martinelli comeback and Xhaka form
football.london takes a look at how the national media reacted to the north Londoners moving eight points clear with a 4-1 victory against Palace.
"The Arsenal fans filed out of the stadium at the final whistle with a look of disbelief on their faces.
"The Gunners are eight points clear at the top - yes, really, eight points - of the Premier League and are rapidly building an unassailable lead. Yes, Manchester City have a game in hand. And, yes, Arsenal have to go to the Etihad on April 26. But you would rather have the points on the board and Arsenal might be even further ahead by then.
"This season has been such an unlikely story that it almost feels like Arsenal fans refuse to believe it might actually happen and are therefore afraid to even dream about it. But Arsenal have been superb this season in overcoming every challenge and hurdle.
"This time, it was a London derby against a Crystal Palace side with a new face in the dugout, on the back of a gruelling European exit last Thursday after extra time and penalties. So, what happens? The player who missed the crucial spot kick in the shootout, Gabriel Martinelli, scores the opening goal. What a way to bounce back.
"Bukayo Saka scored two, got an assist and did not even play at his best. He did not need to when Rob Holding filled in brilliantly at centre-half for the injured William Saliba while Martin Odegaard drove the game and Ben White was sensational from right-back.
"Mikel Arteta has done a job bordering on the miraculous in constructing a team which is so consistent, so good to watch and just delivers every week. He has built an incredible spirit in the dressing room, changed the atmosphere within the stadium and all of the ingredients are there for a first title success in 19 years."
"Crystal Palace may have arrived at the Emirates Stadium without a manager and winless in 2023, but Arsenal had good reason to be wary. When they faced Everton last month – also on a long winless run and heading into their first game after Frank Lampard’s sacking – few foresaw the relegation contenders claiming a precious win.
"Everton were better set than Palace, however: Lampard’s successor, Sean Dyche, was already in place. Patrick Vieira’s time at Palace came to an abrupt end on Friday morning, giving Paddy McCarthy, drafted in from his role as under-21s coach, a little over 48 hours to salvage a game plan from the wreckage. A task that proved too great as they were soundly beaten 4-1.
"From the start Arsenal looked determined to stop their opponents’ disrupted preparations from coming together. Amid a thick grey fog drifting from the away end, where flares and smoke bombs greeted the first whistle, the hosts’ rhythmic pressing game clicked into gear immediately, Leandro Trossard smothering the first attempted pass of the game in a sign of things to come. Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka probed the flanks, the former threading through Trossard who failed to tempt Stuart Attwell, the referee, into awarding an early penalty after going down in a tangle. The visitors struggled to get on the ball, chasing shadows in the acrid haze.
"As the smoke lifted, Palace produced two flashes of danger. McCarthy had promised aggression and speed in the final third and Wilfried Zaha obliged, taking advantage of a turnover out wide to dance in behind and unleash a low shot that Aaron Ramsdale could only push on to a post. It was pure luck that, having ricocheted out on to his trailing leg, the ball went behind for a corner rather than crossing the line. Not long afterwards, having ghosted through a yawning gap between Rob Holding and Gabriel Magalhaes, Odsonne Edouard went one-on-one with Ramsdale only to be denied by an excellent save. If Palace were second best in possession, they still looked more than capable of hitting back on the counter-attack.
"'CRYSTAL Palace' was spelt incorrectly on some of the paper tickets for this clash at the Emirates Stadium. No such errors on the pitch from Arsenal.
"There are no signs of the capitulation that many predicted would come. No indication of the wheels, however slightly, coming off Arsenal's title challenge. Eight points clear at the Premier League summit with 10 games to go after this most clinical of victories over Palace - who remain without a win in 2023.
"If Arsenal are going to stutter, then they are leaving it bloody late. Of course, whether the Gunners can pip Manchester City to win their first championship since 2004 means diddly squat to Palace.
"The fact the 'y' and 's' had switched places in 'Crystal' on a number of the away supporters' tickets here is just as inconsequential. Palace have far bigger concerns. They are sleep-walking into a relegation fight, the club currently three points clear of 18th-placed West Ham - who have two games in hand over their London rivals."
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