Arsenal lost their opening 3 games last season, including a Friday night opener at Brentford, ultimately missing out on Champions League football
Arsenal returned the favour after they were trashed by Crystal Palace last season with a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park, as they got their Premier League campaign off to a winning start.
The Gunners maintained their impressive pre-season form with an energetic performance that was rewarded when Gabriel Martinelli nodded in a 20th-minute opener from new signing Oleksandr Zinchenko’s headed assist.
The 21-year-old Brazilian had earlier missed a glorious chance after Gabriel Jesus waltzed through the Palace defence, skewing wide of the far post after his compatriot’s effort was blocked, but he stooped to head in from a clever corner routine.
ALSO READ: Saliba tipped to start for Arsenal against Crystal Palace
It took Palace most of the first half to adapt to the visitors’ tempo, but once they did Odsonne Edouard forced Aaron Ramsdale into a save after Joachim Andersen’s header found him in the six-yard box.
Buoyed by a vibrant home crowd, the Eagles poured forward in search of a leveller but it was Arsenal who found the net again, Marc Guehi inadvertently heading Bukayo Saka’s fierce cross into his own goal late on.
The Gunners lost their opening three league games last season, including another Friday night opener at Brentford, and ultimately narrowly missed out on a return to Champions League football
BBC
.