Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side got their Premier League title ambitions firmly back on track with a gritty, professional 2-0 victory over a stubborn Crystal Palace at a rain-swept Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners, desperate for a win after a stuttering festive period, were made to work for the three points by a disciplined Eagles defence. The breakthrough finally came in the 37th minute from an unlikely source, as Gabriel Magalhães powered a magnificent header into the net from a Declan Rice corner, sending the home crowd into raptures.
The second half was a tense affair, with Palace threatening on the counter-attack. The points were finally sealed deep into added time. A swift breakaway saw Leandro Trossard burst into the box, showing immense composure to slot a low finish past Dean Henderson and ensure the Arsenal faithful went home happy.
Arsenal Player Ratings
David Raya (7/10): A spectator for large parts, but was alert and commanding when called upon. His distribution was solid, if unspectacular.
Ben White (7/10): Provided a constant outlet on the right flank and was defensively sound, snuffing out any potential danger.
William Saliba (8/10): A colossus at the back. His reading of the game was impeccable, and he dealt with everything with effortless class.
Gabriel Magalhães (9/10): Man of the Match. A monumental performance. Scored the crucial opener with a thunderous header and was an absolute rock in defence, making several vital blocks and clearances.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (6/10): A mixed bag. Looked shaky defensively at times but was instrumental in building attacks from the back.
Martin Ødegaard (7/10): The captain buzzed around with intent, constantly looking to unlock the Palace defence with incisive passes. Faded slightly in the second half.
Declan Rice (8/10): Another dominant display in the engine room. Broke up play relentlessly and provided the perfect assist for Gabriel's goal. A leader in the middle.
Kai Havertz (6/10): Worked hard but struggled to truly influence the game in the final third. Often found himself in good positions but his final ball was lacking.
Bukayo Saka (7/10): A constant menace down the right wing. He was double-teamed all night but still managed to create several openings with his trickery and pace.
Gabriel Jesus (6/10): Full of energy and endeavour, but it wasn't his night in front of goal. Missed a couple of good chances he would normally expect to take.
Gabriel Martinelli (8/10): Electric from the moment he came on. His direct running and blistering pace terrified the tiring Palace defence and he was directly involved in the build-up to the second goal.
Substitutes
Leandro Trossard (8/10): The super sub delivered once again. Showed ice-cool composure to score the clinching goal and kill the game.
Jorginho (7/10): Brought on to add control and experience to the midfield, and he did exactly that, helping to see the game out professionally.
Eddie Nketiah (N/A): Introduced too late to make a significant impact.
The result provides a massive morale boost for Arteta's men, who close the gap at the top of the table and will look to build momentum in the coming weeks.
