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ARSENAL 1-0 CRYSTAL PALACE: EBERECHI EZE SCORES WINNER AS GUNNERS EXTEND LEAD AT THE TOP

Gunners move four points clear as they capitalise on slip-ups from Liverpool and Manchester City

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Eberechi Eze scored against his old club as Arsenal recorded a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace at the Emirates to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.

Eze fired home from another Arsenal set-piece with a sumptuous half-volley six minutes prior to the interval before Gabriel struck the crossbar in the second half as Arsenal saw out their seventh consecutive victory.

Palace failed to muster a single shot on target against an Arsenal side which has now conceded just three times across 13 matches in all competitions so far. Arsenal's clean sheet here was their fifth in succession.

It was a far from a spectacular performance from Mikel Arteta's men, but the triumph takes them four points clear of second-placed Bournemouth in the table, and six ahead of Manchester City following their 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa.

Defending champions Liverpool are a further point off the championship pace.

Arsenal scored four times in 14 electric second-half minutes as they rain riot against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League earlier this week. But on Sunday, they required 33 minutes to register their first shot.

Fresh from his quickfire double against Atletico, Viktor Gyokeres did well to bounce off Maxence Lacroix and hold the ball up before bringing Declan Rice into play. Rice found Leandro Trossard but the Belgian's first touch allowed the ball to get stuck under his feet and his subsequent shot was straight at the Palace stopper.

Speaking prior to Sunday's match, Arteta revealed he hatched his masterplan to transform Arsenal into set-piece kings a decade ago.

On Tuesday night, Arsenal became the first team across Europe's top five leagues to register 10 goals from free-kicks this season, and on the 39th minute that became 11.

Rice's inswinger from the right-hand side was met by Gabriel at the far post, and who else was on hand other than Eze, to rifle the bouncing ball home with a delicious half-volley to hand his new employers the lead.

There was no celebration from Eze against the club he served for five years, but this marked a much-needed first league strike in seven attempts for the England international - with manager Thomas Tuchel watching on from the Emirates directors' box - and for Arsenal, a 38th set-piece goal in the league since the start of 2023-24 season.

Five minutes into the second period and the crossbar prevented Arsenal from increasing that tally to 39. From a dead ball, Rice played a give-and-go with Eze before his left-footed cross was met by Gabriel but the Brazilian's header cannoned off the goal frame.

Rice was there for the follow-up but Henderson stopped his shot with an outstretched arm. A trademark Saka long-range shot with his left instep then fell wide.

Arsenal continued to dominate possession but, with their advantage standing at just one, Oliver Glasner's players always remained in the contest.

However, Arsenal's defence has been breached by just one team - Manchester City - from open play this season, and, in truth, the south Londoners rarely looked like becoming the second despite a nervier-than-expected finale.

The only sour notes on another day of triumph for Arsenal in their pursuit of a first league title in 22 years arrived with injuries to William Saliba and Rice. The former was replaced at the interval, while the latter hobbled off in the closing stages.

- PHILIP DUNCAN

ARSENAL SET DOUBLE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RECORD AFTER ATLÉTICO MADRID DEMOLITION

Arsenal continued their 100% record so far this season in the UEFA Champions League with a 4-0 dismantling of Atletico Madrid.

The Gunners once again relied on their set piece power in the second half, as Gabriel Magalhaes headed home, before Gabriel Martinelli steered home a superb second at the Emirates Stadium.

Under-fire striker Viktor Gyokeres netted a late double - in his first European goals since joining from Sporting CP over the summer - but it was Arsenal's defensive resilience that once again stood out.

Mikel Arteta's team have only conceded three goals across all competitions in 2025/26, as part of a nine-game unbeaten streak, and they successfully repelled Atletico's attack in North London.

Arsenal's reputation as a Set Piece FC was bolstered as Gabriel scored off a Declan Rice free-kick, and Gyokeres' second goal came via a corner, meaning the Gunners are now the first side in Europe's big five leagues this season to score 10 goals from set pieces in all competitions.

However, their record solely in the UCL is even more eye-catching, since their return to Europe's main stage at the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

After three straight wins at the start of 2025/26 - against Athletic Club, Olympiakos and Atletico - Arsenal have now won all nine of their home group stage/league phase games by an aggregate score of 27-0.

That statistic also makes Arteta's charges the first side in UCL history to keep a clean sheet in nine successive home first phase games.

Arsenal have never lost or conceded in a Champions League group/league phase game at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta 😳 pic.twitter.com/kg1yjEbB32

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 21, 2025

Up next for Arsenal is a home Premier League tie with Crystal Palace on October 26 - as they head into the weekend with a three-point lead at the top of the table - with a trip to Slavia Prague their next European outing on November 4.

- FEARGAL BRENNAN

DIEGO SIMEONE ISSUES 'SUPERIOR' ARSENAL VERDICT AND EXPLAINS HOW GUNNERS OVERWHELMED ATLÉTICO MADRID

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has been speaking after his side’s Champions League defeat to Arsenal.

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone provided an honest verdict on his side’s heavy Champions League defeat to Arsenal on Tuesday night. The Gunners won 4-0 thanks to 13 superb second-half minutes that saw them score four goals.

Simeone has been honest about his side's defeat | Getty Images

Gabriel Magalhaes scored in the 57th minute, then Gabriel Martinelli scored to make it two before Viktor Gyokeres put the game firmly beyond reach with a much-needed brace after a slow start in front of goal for the Gunners.

The win means Arsenal have made it three wins from as many games in the Champions League, while Atletico have now won once and lost twice. There are still five games remaining in the league phase, so it’s hardly panic stations from Atletico, who did make this a close contest until that wild 13 minutes that saw them slip quickly out of the picture.

"They were superior and very decisive in that part of the match,” Atleti boss Simeone said after the game. “After the set piece goal, things went their way with merit. They demanded our all until the 1-0 lead. The team worked well, ran, and were overtaken by a team that was better."

He added on the key moments in the game: "Julian's (Alvarez) shot went wide of the post in the first half. Small details that could have turned the game around for us. But the opponent is very strong in all lines; overall, everyone runs, and that takes away time to think. Up until the first goal, we were comfortable with the game, and in that 13-minute stretch, they were decisive."

Arsenal opened the scoring through a set-piece when Declan Rice delivered the ball perfectly for Gabriel. "I've always loved set pieces, and there are teams that work them very well,” Simeone admitted. “They have incredible value in every game. When you break the game open with a set piece, you've come a long way."

Gyokeres on his brace

Gyokeres hasn’t had much luck in front of goal for Arsenal since arriving in the summer, scoring three times in eight league appearances, and he has only scored in two league games. But the Sweden international looked like the lethal striker Arsenal want him to be against Atleti, scoring twice, and he was delighted after the game.

“I am very pleased,” he told Prime Video. “They had some good opportunities but I think we controlled it overall. To score four and keep a clean sheet again is very good. We always keep going. We do the things right when we defend and when we get the chances we are extremely strong in taking those.

"Both [my] goals were great. I try to do my best all the time and work hard, contribute with different stuff and the goals would have come sooner or later. We want to do well, we want to win football matches but there's a long journey to go. We will take it game-by-game, even if that sounds boring."

- Jamie Kemble

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ARSENAL TRANSFER NEWS: BENJAMIN SESKO BOOST AS SIGNING DRAWS NEAR AND TARGET RE-EMERGES

Arsenal are looking to strengthen their attacking department ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, with RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko the top target for the Gunners

Benjamin Sesko has admirers at Arsenal(Image: Getty Images)

Another day, another round of transfer talk about strikers as Arsenal's current squad enjoy their holidays before getting down to serious business.

Mikel Arteta is set to fix his centre forward woes this summer as he bids to go one step further after three successive second-placed finishes in the Premier League. Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Ollie Watkins have all been discussed as forward targets.

A stalemate appears to have developed surrounding Swedish hotshot Gyokeres, with Sporting Lisbon playing hardball for their star player. This has sparked renewed whispers about a potential swoop for Aston Villa's Watkins, who was on the radar back in January,, reports the Mirror.

A deal for RB Leipzig's Sesko might be inching closer following reports that the Bundesliga side are in discussions to sign striker Romulo from Turkish outfit Goztepe.

Leipzig won't let their main man go until they've got a replacement sorted and a deal for Sesko could set the Gunners back a cool £65m.

The situation with Gyokeres is still up in the air, with Sporting sticking to their guns that any bids around the £60m mark touted by his reps will be swiftly binned.

Sporting maintain they've not had any offers yet and the friction between the club's top brass and their leading scorer looks set to drag out into a long-winded saga... unless a club steps up with a hefty offer straight off the bat.

That pause has now turned the attention to Premier League-proven Watkins, who will hit the big 3-0 next season, with speculation ratcheting up several notches.

Arsenal made a clear overture to snag him back in January, but the Midlands outfit weren't tempted by the Gunners' proposal since the money wasn't right.

Lewis-Skelly update

Myles Lewis-Skelly is one of Arsenal's brightest young talents(Image: undefined via Getty Images)

Real Madrid whispers about prising academy gem Myles Lewis-Skelly away from the Emirates, with a single year left on the latter's deal, haven't given the Gunners' hierarchy any concern, with an insider noting the North London giants remain "very calm".

Transfer sagas with Real's name in it demand a pinch of caution; the hullabaloo about another Three Lions full-back with a dwindling contract possibly trading England for the Spanish giants seems, on cue, to have set tongues a-wagging.

And it's been fuelled no doubt by the cautionary Trent Alexander-Arnold tale of Liverpool losing their homegrown superstar with a wand of a right foot to the La Liga giants for a paltry £10m fee after he let his deal run out at Anfield.

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WHAT ARSENAL DID IN MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY APPEAL AS MICHAEL OLIVER COMMENT REVEALED

Latest Arsenal news and gossip as details from the FA have emerged about the Gunners' successful appeal for Myles Lewis-Skelly's red card against Wolves

Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly reacts after being sent off against Wolves (Image: PA)

Details have emerged over Arsenal's successful appeal against Myles Lewis-Skelly's red card against Wolves.

The Gunners defender was shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver in the 1-0 win at Molineux in the Premier League last weekend. Riccardo Calafiori scored the decisive goal of the game for Arsenal to maintain their six-point gap behind leaders Liverpool in the title race.

Oliver's decision to send off Lewis-Skelly was confirmed by a VAR check but was met with plenty of controversy in the days that followed. Arsenal launched what proved to be a successful appeal against the dismissal, with the defender now available for the forthcoming Premier League fixtures rather than serving a three-match ban.

With Lewis-Skelly now available for Arsenal's clash against Manchester City, details have emerged about their successful appeal against last week's red card. The FA have published their report of the appeal, which includes the evidence the Gunners put forward for their case.

The report includes a statement from Oliver, who confirmed the reason for handing a red card to Lewis-Skelly.

“I have to report that I, as the Referee sent off Lewis-Skelly, Myles Anthony of Arsenal FC Under Law 12 section: S1," wrote Oliver in his official report to the FA.

The report goes on to list the evidence that Arsenal put forward to support their case that the red card for Lewis-Skelly was undeserving. One piece of evidence included several angles of the tackle from the Gunners defender in slow motion.

More evidence included footage of Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes receiving a yellow card by Oliver for a similar challenge in the same game against Arsenal. Gomes would receive two bookings and also be sent off in the clash at Molineux.

Arsenal then went on to provide two previous cases involving Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes and Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister. The evidence involved incidents where both players were shown red cards in their respective matches, with the decisions subsequently overturned by the FA following an appeal.

As part of their appeal, Arsenal also provided evidence written by their associate general counsel, Mr Patrick Camerer Cuss. The document provided to the FA outlined why, in the club's opinion, the decision to give Lewis-Skelly a red card and a three-match ban was "excessive".

- Mark Wakefield

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ARSENAL'S DISMAL NEWCASTLE DEFEAT PROVES MIKEL ARTETA MADE MISTAKE ARNE SLOT NEVER WILL

Arsenal has won just three of its last seven matches in the Premier League and the Gunners now sit seven points off the top of the Premier League - with Liverpool leading the way.

Slot and Arteta embrace in October (Image: 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)

There have been plenty of twists in the Premier League title race since the October international break, and of all the teams that are expected to be in contention at the business end of the season,

That issue is that Arsenal may be over-reliant on its captain, Martin Odegaard, having won just three from seven in the Premier League since the Norwegian sustained a serious injury in September. Odegaard is still recovering after damaging ankle ligaments during a Nations League game between Norway and Austria earlier in the season.

The reality is, without Odegaard, the Arsenal team lacks a heartbeat and somebody that can set the tempo of its play, so it is perhaps no surprise that the Gunners are struggling for form without arguably their best player.

At Liverpool, meanwhile, it is not the case that the team is so reliant on any one player. Of course, Mohamed Salah has been viewed as the Reds' most dangerous attacking threat since joining the club seven years ago, but when he is not firing, there are plenty of other attackers who are capable of producing the goods.

In Liverpool's midfield, too, there is no one player whose presence is as closely linked to the team's performance as Odegaard's is to Arsenal. Arsenal signed Mikel Merino in the summer and, while he is a good player, he is not in Odegaard's class. Meanwhile, Declan Rice, Jorginho and Thomas Partey are all completely different players to Odegaard, which is why it's been so difficult for Arteta to find a solution to his captain being injured.

On the other hand, Liverpool's midfielders are all of a similar level of quality, while they also share plenty of similar attributes. Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai make up Slot's favored midfield trio, but he also has Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo in reserve, as well as Harvey Elliott when he returns.

The situation goes some way to explaining why Liverpool has opened up a seven-point lead over Arsenal. Of course, things change quickly in the Premier League, but the Gunners have plenty of work to do to reestablish themselves as title challengers.

- Liam Corless

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ARSENAL'S NEW 24/25 AWAY KIT | HONOURING THE BOND BETWEEN ARSENAL & AFRICA | PICTURES | ARSENAL.COM

Introducing the new 24/25 Away Kit 🤩

Honouring the bond between Arsenal, north London and Africa 🤝