Arsenal move four points clear at top as Eze strike sees off Crystal Palace

"However, delayed gratification can be satisfying and Eze's timing was impeccable. With Liverpool suffering a fourth consecutive league defeat at Brentford on Saturday night, Arsenal had a gap to extend. Opportunities such as Sunday presented must not be missed if a title is to be won. But after his team had spent nearly an entire half offering up stodgy bread pudding when light and fluffy meringue was required, Eze provided the momentary magic that Mikel Arteta et al longed for."

"Both feet off the ground, with the ball not quite settled nicely, Eze adjusted and struck a first-time shot that whipped the home crowd into delight. Three times the stadium announcer bellowed Eberechi into the north London air. Three times the call was met with a loud response. One-nil to the Arsenal. And so, nine games in, Arteta is in the unusual and unexpected position of glancing into his wing-mirror and catching flashes of Bournemouth and Sunderland."

"Whereas in the not-too-distant past the Sunday late-lunch slot was a punishment for Arsenal's failure to qualify for the Champions League, and shanks of lamb or briskets of beef were prioritised, those days are gone. Now all fixtures carry both anticipation and expectation. There is a growing sense that this is Arsenal's season. It has to be their season. If not now, when?"

Eberechi Eze scored his first Arsenal Premier League goal against Crystal Palace, delivering a decisive strike after a sluggish first half. Liverpool's defeat at Brentford created an opportunity for Arsenal to extend their lead, and Eze's improvised, first-time shot energized the Emirates crowd. The goal established a 1-0 advantage and left Mikel Arteta unusually aware of challengers like Bournemouth and Sunderland in the title picture. Past complacency around Sunday fixtures has ended as every match now carries expectation. Arsenal sits seven points clear of Liverpool, and the momentum intensifies belief that this campaign must be their title season.

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