March 19, 2023
Bukayo Saka scored twice as we swept away Crystal Palace to move eight points clear at the top of the table.
Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring for us as we looked to put Thursday night's disappointing European exit behind us.
Saka doubled the lead before half-time and Granit Xhaka increased the advantage, finishing another slick team move ten minutes after the restart.
Palace threatened to get back into the game when Jeffrey Schlupp scored from a corner but Saka's smartly taken second ensured a comfortable winning margin from an excellent performance.
We dominated possession and territory early on, with Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard looking lively, but it was Palace who had the first chance. Wilfried Zaha streaked away from the halfway line, cut inside onto his right foot, and his low shot hit the post then rebounded off Aaron Ramsdale's legs behind for a corner.
At the other end Odegaard forced a diving stop from the visitors' teenage goalkeeper Joe Whitworth from just inside the area, but there were few real chances for either side until we opened the scoring.
Ben White started the move, darting in to win the ball on the right flank before passing to Bukayo Saka on the edge of the box. His cross found its way to Martinelli who took a touch, kept his composure then rifled low into the net left footed.
It was the Brazilian's sixth goal in his last six Premier League outings.
We went in search of the second. Odegaard dragged a shot wide from just inside the area after good build up play from White and Saka on the right.
When the second did arrive, it was that White/Saka partnership that created it. After a Martinelli cross from the left went straight across goal, White took up possession on the opposite flank, fed a pass inside the full back to Saka, who finished expertly low into the corner.
It was no more than we deserved from a confident first-half display.
Rob Holding, making his first start in the Premier League since the final day of last season, slotted seamlessly back into the back line. He completed more passes than any other player on the pitch in the first half, and also won most duels (eight).
The half-time break did nothing to halt our momentum.
It was another well-worked goal that brought up our third. Alex Zinchenko fed the ball into Granit Xhaka outside the area. The Swiss midfielder swapped passes with Leandro Trossard, continued his run into the box and finished well under pressure.
It was the midfielder's second goal in a week, and Trossard's sixth Premier League assist since joining from Brighton in January.
But Palace hit back. We failed to deal with a corner at the near post and Jeffrey Schlupp pounced from close range to pull one back.
It gave the visitors confidence and Zaha slid a shot just wide after Schlupp won the ball in midfield.
But any thoughts of a comeback were squashed when Saka notched his second of the afternoon.
Substitute Kieran Tierney pulled the ball back to the winger from the left, and Saka
By Arsenal
