Eze's sumptuous half-volley sends Arsenal clear at top

Eberechi Eze scored against his old club as Arsenal recorded a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace at the Emirates to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.

- PHILIP DUNCAN

Eze fired home from another Arsenal set piece with a sumptuous half-volley six minutes before the interval, before Gabriel struck the crossbar in the second half as Arsenal saw out their seventh consecutive victory.

Palace failed to muster a single shot on target against an Arsenal side that has now conceded just three times across 13 matches in all competitions so far. Arsenal’s clean sheet here was their fifth in succession.

It was far from a spectacular performance from Mikel Arteta’s men, but the triumph takes them four points clear of second-placed Bournemouth in the table, and six ahead of Manchester City following their 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa. Defending champions Liverpool are a further point off the championship pace.

Arsenal scored four times in 14 electric second-half minutes as they rain riot against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League earlier this week. However, yesterday, they required 33 minutes to register their first shot.