Arsenal Secures Premier League Lead with 1-0 Over Crystal Palace

Arsenal achieved a crucial 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace, moving four points clear at the top of the Premier League, with Eberechi Eze scoring the only goal from a set-piece delivery by Declan Rice. Manager Mikel Arteta described this win as the team's most valuable and toughest of the season, praising the squad's discipline, resilience, and maturity against a well-organized and physically challenging Palace side. Despite injuries to key players William Saliba and Declan Rice during the match, Arsenal maintained their composure to secure a seventh consecutive win across all competitions and extend their strong defensive record with five clean sheets in a row. Arteta highlighted Eze's technical skill and impact, noting his ability to produce “magic moments” and draw on his experience scoring against Arsenal while at Palace. The victory was particularly significant as it came during a weekend when title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool both lost, giving Arsenal a stronger position in the title race. Arteta also emphasized the difficulty of winning in the Premier League and the need to improve further despite the team's current success.