
Arsenal moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League thanks to a routine home victory over managerless Crystal Palace.
The Gunners, aiming to become champions for the first time since 2003-04, went ahead at Emirates Stadium through Gabriel Martinelli’s left-footed strike – his sixth goal in six league matches.
Bukayo Saka doubled the lead when he collected Ben White’s pass and curled an effort past 19-year-old goalkeeper Joe Whitworth.
Granit Xhaka made it 3-0 with a first-time finish from Leandro Trossard’s assist, before Jeffrey Schlupp pulled one back from close range following a corner for Palace’s first goal in five matches.
But the excellent Saka restored Arsenal’s three-goal advantage with a guided finish from Kiernan Tierney’s pull-back to seal the victory.
Arsenal have 69 points from 28 matches, with second-placed Manchester City, who beat Burnley 6-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, on 61 points having played a game less.
Palace sacked manager Patrick Vieira on Friday and have now not won in 13 games in all competitions and are only three points above the relegation zone.
Arsenal back in business after European disappointment
For Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, this was a perfect response after his side lost on penalties to Sporting Lisbon in the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday.
Once Martinelli put them ahead with his 13th goal of the season, there only looked to be one winner, with Palace powerless to stop Arsenal.
Saka’s goal, confirmed by the video assistant referee following a check for offside, made it 2-0, with Xhaka adding a third in the 55th minute.

Palace got a goal back, but it was no surprise that Saka soon scored again to take his total to 13 for the campaign.
Arteta will also be delighted with the character his team have shown as they have bounced back from setbacks.
This victory was their sixth in a row in the league since a 3-1 home loss to City threatened to derail their title hopes.
But they have recovered in style and go into the international break in pole position.
Palace tamely slip to fourth successive loss
This was Palace’s first match since sacking ex-Arsenal captain Vieira, a move former Gunners defender Martin Keown called a “panicked decision”, with the home fans regularly singing Vieira’s name throughout Sunday’s game.
The Frenchman had been manager since July 2021 after Roy Hodgson’s departure and had won 22 of 74 games in all competitions.
Palace last won on 31 December with a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth before a run of no wins, five draws and seven defeats saw Vieira sacked.
Hodgson, 75, has been tipped for a temporary return, while under-21s boss Paddy McCarthy took charge of the team on Sunday.
McCarthy suffered a blow before the match when central defender Joachim Andersen sustained an injury in the warm-up and had to be replaced by James Tomkins.
Wilfried Zaha hit the post in the 10th minute and had a shot saved by Aaron Ramsdale early in the second half, before Schlupp’s consolation as Palace slipped to their fourth successive league defeat.
They have almost two weeks before their next game, with a vital month coming up in April as they look to extend their 10-season top-flight spell.
But their fate still lies in their hands, so their managerial decision is going to be a vital one.
In April they face six of their relegation rivals – Leicester, Leeds, Southampton, Everton, Wolves and West Ham – and how they get on in those matches will go a long way to deciding their future.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Crystal Palace
-
Squad number41Player nameWhitworth
-
Squad number2Player nameWard
-
Squad number5Player nameTomkins
-
Squad number6Player nameGuéhi
-
Squad number3Player nameMitchell
-
Squad number4Player nameMilivojevic
-
Squad number28Player nameDoucouré
-
Squad number7Player nameOlise
-
Squad number15Player nameSchlupp
-
Squad number11Player nameZaha
-
Squad number22Player nameÉdouard
-
Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew
-
Squad number10Player nameEze
-
Squad number19Player nameHughes
-
Squad number29Player nameAhamada
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Ramsdale
- 4WhiteSubstituted forJorginhoat 83′minutes
- 16Holding
- 6GabrielSubstituted forKiwiorat 86′minutes
- 35ZinchenkoSubstituted forTierneyat 65′minutes
- 8Ødegaard
- 5Partey
- 34Xhaka
- 7Saka
- 19TrossardSubstituted forGabriel Jesusat 65′minutes
- 11MartinelliSubstituted forSmith Roweat 83′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Tierney
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 10Smith Rowe
- 15Kiwior
- 20Jorginho
- 21Fábio Vieira
- 24Nelson
- 30Turner
- 97Walters
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 41Whitworth
- 2Ward
- 5TomkinsBooked at 59mins
- 6Guéhi
- 3Mitchell
- 4MilivojevicSubstituted forHughesat 65′minutes
- 28Doucouré
- 7OliseSubstituted forEzeat 82′minutes
- 15SchluppSubstituted forAhamadaat 82′minutes
- 11Zaha
- 22ÉdouardSubstituted forJ Ayewat 65′minutes
Substitutes
- 9J Ayew
- 10Eze
- 14Mateta
- 17Clyne
- 19Hughes
- 26Richards
- 29Ahamada
- 44Riedewald
- 63Goodman
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 60,247
Live Text
-
Match ends, Arsenal 4, Crystal Palace 1.
-
Second Half ends, Arsenal 4, Crystal Palace 1.
-
Offside, Crystal Palace. Jordan Ayew tries a through ball, but Wilfried Zaha is caught offside.
-
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Martin Ødegaard.
-
Attempt blocked. Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Wilfried Zaha.
-
Kieran Tierney (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
-
Foul by Will Hughes (Crystal Palace).
-
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Tyrick Mitchell.
-
Attempt saved. James Tomkins (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.
-
Foul by Rob Holding (Arsenal).
-
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
-
Substitution, Arsenal. Jakub Kiwior replaces Gabriel Magalhães.
-
Attempt missed. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Bukayo Saka.
-
Substitution, Arsenal. Emile Smith Rowe replaces Gabriel Martinelli.
-
Substitution, Arsenal. Jorginho replaces Ben White.
-
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Naouirou Ahamada replaces Jeffrey Schlupp.
-
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Eberechi Eze replaces Michael Olise.
-
Attempt blocked. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
-
Foul by Granit Xhaka (Arsenal).
-
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before – here’s everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment