Arsenal was the favorite to win, having been unbeaten at home so far in the 2025/26 season, but they had fallen short in previous matches against teams they were expected to beat, which had denied them a Premier League title since 2003/04.

Both teams started with the same lineup as their previous games, a rare occurrence for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who had not done so since September 2024.

In the past 10 matches where Arteta had named the same XI in consecutive matches, Arsenal had won nine and drawn once.

Arsenal dominated possession in the early stages, with 83.9% of the ball in the first quarter hour and a 92% pass completion rate.

However, despite their control, the game was goalless, with Palace's Viktor Gyokeres touching the ball only once in the first 30 minutes.

Leandro Trossard finally broke the deadlock for Arsenal in the 33rd minute, ending a 33-minute wait for a shot on goal against Palace.

The hosts extended their lead just six minutes later when Eberechi Eze scored against his former team, his first goal for Arsenal.

Arsenal's record of winning all five games when taking the lead in 2025/26 meant Palace needed a strong response to get back into the game, but they struggled to create clear chances.

The teams were evenly matched, with both sides creating a few half-chances, but Palace's efforts were not enough to breach the Arsenal defense.

Arsenal kept their seventh clean sheet in nine league games, their best record in the division, and David Raya secured his 50th clean sheet for the Gunners.

The win marked a significant victory for Arsenal, who had been pushed hard by Palace but ultimately came out on top.

The result sees Arsenal maintain their position at the top of the Premier League table, with Palace struggling to find consistency.