Bukayo Saka as soon as once more starred as Arsenal cruised to victory over managerless Crystal Palace to open up an eight-point lead on the prime of the Premier League.
With closest challengers Manchester City in FA Cup motion, Mikel Arteta’s aspect took full benefit, bouncing again from their Europa League exit by the hands of Sporting Lisbon to beat their London rivals 4-1.
Saka scored twice and arrange the opener for Gabriel Martinelli, turning into the primary Premier League participant this season to achieve double figures for each targets and assists.
Four years on since he swore at his personal followers when his substitution on this fixture was cheered, Granit Xhaka’s high quality season continued when he turned dwelling the third after the interval.
Palace, who sacked former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira on Friday, no less than bought themselves on the scoresheet as Jeffrey Schlupp’s second-half comfort below caretaker boss Paddy McCarthy ended a close to seven-hour scoreless run.
Both Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba missed out via damage for the hosts as Ben White and Rob Holding got here into defence.
Palace had been inches away from taking the lead as a deflected Wilfried Zaha strike got here again off a put up, the ball catching goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on the again earlier than squirming broad.
Martin Odegaard had Arsenal’s first try on purpose, the skipper’s effort palmed away by Joseph Whitworth, the 19-year-old making simply his second senior look for the Eagles.
After a gradual begin, the league leaders would break the impasse via Martinelli – the person whose saved penalty value Arsenal of their shootout loss to Sporting.
Zaha was caught ball-watching as White nipped in forward of him, taking part in in Saka, whose cross was managed and completed effectively by Martinelli.
The hosts had been now effectively on prime, the mix of White, Saka and Odegaard inflicting Palace all types of issues on the correct.
Thomas Partey headed a free-kick broad and Odegaard screwed one other strike previous a put up as Arsenal pushed for a second earlier than the break.
The purpose would come courtesy of Saka, who collected a wise move from White earlier than ending low previous Whitworth as a VAR verify confirmed the England winger was onside.
Saka then noticed an effort cleared off the road as Arsenal began the second half in the identical dominant method as they ended the primary.
Any Palace risk appeared to come back via Zaha and he stung the palms of Ramsdale because the guests appeared to half the arrears.
Instead, they might fall additional behind as Xhaka exchanged passes with Leandro Trossard earlier than ending from shut vary, though Schlupp would pull one again as he completed from a nook.
Zaha dribbled a shot throughout Ramdale’s purpose and broad as they went in the hunt for an unlikely second however as soon as once more they had been instantly caught out on the different finish.
Kieran Tierney, who changed Oleksandr Zinchenko after Schlupp’s purpose, had far an excessive amount of house on the left and crossed for Saka to show dwelling a superb first-time end.
Arteta shuffled his pack within the closing levels to present much-needed minutes to his squad gamers as they noticed out the ultimate minutes to open up a wholesome lead heading into the worldwide break.
