Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League title race with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Sunday, as Eberechi Eze came back to haunt his former club.
The midfielder’s stunning volley sealed the win that sent the Gunners four points clear at the top, while Manchester City stumbled to defeat at Aston Villa.
Eze, who joined Arsenal from Palace in a £60 million summer switch, struck six minutes before halftime after the visitors failed to clear Declan Rice’s teasing free-kick. It was the England international’s first league goal for his new club and one that could prove crucial in the title chase.
Despite not being at their fluid best, Mikel Arteta’s men showcased their defensive steel once again, recording a 10th clean sheet in 13 matches across all competitions.
However, the sight of Rice and William Saliba limping off in the second half provided a rare note of concern for the Arsenal boss.
Elsewhere, it was a weekend to forget for the chasing pack. Manchester City’s nine-game unbeaten run came crashing to an end as Aston Villa earned a 1-0 win at Villa Park courtesy of Matty Cash’s thunderous strike from distance. Erling Haaland’s prolific scoring streak of 12 games was snapped, while City’s reliance on the Norwegian frontman was laid bare — no other City player has found the net in the league for a month.
Bournemouth continued their remarkable surge up the table, climbing to second with a 2-0 home win over struggling Nottingham Forest. Marcus Tavernier caught Matz Sels off guard with a wind-assisted corner before in-form teenager Eli Junior Kroupi smashed home his fourth goal in six league outings to seal the points.
At the other end, Burnley grabbed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Wolves at Molineux thanks to Lyle Foster’s stoppage-time strike.
The visitors had stormed into a 2-0 lead through Zian Flemming’s brace before Jorgen Strand Larsen and Marshall Munetsi pulled Wolves level.
But Foster’s late heroics lifted Burnley five points clear of danger, leaving Wolves stranded at the foot of the table and six points from safety.
It was, by every measure, a weekend that belonged to Arsenal, with Eberechi Eze’s decisive strike ensuring their title ambitions continue to burn brightly.
