Arsenal
reignited their Premier League title challenge by thrashing struggling Crystal
Palace at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners' fight at the top
had faltered towards the end of last year as they lost three of their past five
Premier League games.
But, after heading off to Dubai
for a week-long winter break, Mikel Arteta's side returned reinvigorated as a
Gabriel header, Dean Henderson own goal, a Leandro Trossard finish and two late
Gabriel Martinelli strikes sealed the three points.
The first two goals came from
corners, with the opener coming in the 11th minute when Gabriel nodded in
before the defender's header from another set-piece struck Crystal Palace
goalkeeper Henderson to deflect into the back of the net.
The visitors offered little in
response. Instead Arsenal added to their lead in the second half when Trossard
was sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper and kept his cool to finish confidently.
With Palace already well
beaten, Martinelli added further sheen to the win with two goals in injury
time, both swept into the far corner.
The win moves Arsenal up to
third, two points behind leaders Liverpool but having played a game more than
Jurgen Klopp's side. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, remain 14th in the table.
Having seen their title
challenge fall away in the latter stages of last season, Gunners fans will no
doubt have been concerned by the dip in form their side had towards the end of
2023.
Their only victory in their
final five league games of the year was a narrow win against Brighton, while
they suffered defeats by Aston Villa, West Ham and Fulham.
The big concern for Arsenal was
their struggle to score in that run as they failed to convert the chances they
were creating.
But Mikel Arteta said his side
had returned from their winter break re-energised, and so it proved with this
big win.
They made the most of the
opportunities they created, finishing from set-piece situations while
Trossard's goal and Martinelli's two late shots showed the sort of clinical composure
the Gunners' attack has been missing recently.
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