Mikel Arteta applauded Arsenal for being able to withstand a second-half Crystal Palace assault and start the Premier League campaign off right with a 2-0 victory at Selhurst Park on Friday. Gabriel Martinelli’s goal gave Arteta’s team a merited lead at the break on the same field where Arsenal lost 3-0 in April, setting off a late-season collapse that cost them a spot in the Champions League. However, Arteta’s team hung on after that.
After Palace’s Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze had wasted significant scoring opportunities, Marc Guehi’s own goal in the dying moments secured the three points.
“The win is the most important thing. To win the first match builds confidence and momentum and then we can discuss the things we have to improve,” said Arteta.
“To win here you need to suffer. We’ve done it and that is part of the mentality we want to build.”
Arsenal’s standout summer acquisition, Gabriel Jesus, was brought in to fill the team’s need for a centre-forward. The Brazilian almost had a spectacular debut after only four minutes.
Jesus slid through the Palace defence’s middle, and when his initial shot was stopped, Martinelli should have done better than tossing the rebound away from the goal.
The breakthrough came from a set-piece despite the visitors’ dominance in the first quarter.
Martinelli’s header had just enough force to defeat Vicente Guaita after another rookie, Oleksandr Zinchenko, headed a corner back across the goal.
Palace had a far more challenging preseason, with many essential players being sent home from an Australian trip owing to their coronavirus vaccination status.
The Eagles struggled for the first 30 minutes of the game but will regret not scoring at least a point after they settled into the game’s pace.
When an Aaron Ramsdale clearance was charged down and, thankfully for the England goalkeeper, rebounded to one of his own defenders, Arsenal was responsible for creating their own issues by rousing the Palace supporters from their slumber.
Ramsdale made amends just before halftime by making a fantastic save to save Edouard’s header from tying the score, and the French striker then saw his attempt bounce just inches over the crossbar.
In the second quarter, Palace had Arteta’s team pinned down, but they once more failed to seize opportunities as they presented themselves.
The most negligent player was Eberechi Eze, who calmly shot into Ramsdale’s body when facing just Arsenal’s top goalkeeper.
When an Aaron Ramsdale clearance was charged down and, thankfully for the England goalkeeper, rebounded to one of his own defenders, Arsenal was responsible for creating their own issues by rousing the Palace supporters from their slumber.
Ramsdale made amends just before halftime by making a fantastic save to save Edouard’s header from tying the score, and the French striker then saw his attempt bounce just inches over the crossbar.
In the second quarter, Palace had Arteta’s team pinned down, but they once more failed to seize opportunities as they presented themselves.
The most negligent player was Eberechi Eze, who calmly shot into Ramsdale’s body when facing just Arsenal’s top goalkeeper.
