Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Match Report: Premier League, October 26, 2025

October 29, 2025 ByJohan CurtisNo Comments 4 minutes

Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium. On a tense afternoon in North London, the Gunners relied on a moment of inspiration from Eberechi Eze—scoring against his former club—to secure three points and build further momentum in their title chase.

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Match Information

Date: 26 October 2025
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
Competition: Premier League (2025/26)
Final Score: Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Goal: Eberechi Eze (39’)

Arsenal’s victory gave them a crucial four-point lead at the top of the table, keeping them ahead of Manchester City and Chelsea. Palace, meanwhile, offered stubborn resistance but failed to create enough chances to threaten the home side’s unbeaten run.

Team Lineups

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: David Raya
Defenders: Jurrien Timber, Gabriel, William Saliba, Riccardo Calafiori
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi
Attacking Midfielders: Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard
Forward: Viktor Gyökeres

Notable subs: Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, Piero Hincapié

Crystal Palace (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
Defenders: Richards, Marc Guéhi, Maxence Lacroix, Tyrick Mitchell, Munoz
Midfielders: Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Pino
Forwards: Ismaila Sarr, Jean-Philippe Mateta

Notable subs: Nketiah, Sosa, Lerma

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: Match Summary

Arsenal’s strong start

The early stages saw Arsenal dominate possession, moving the ball from flank to flank in an attempt to break through Palace’s steadfast defensive setup. While the Gunners looked dangerous through Saka and Trossard, Palace kept their shape, relying on compactness and quick counters.

The Palace Hero Scores Against Them

Just before halftime, Arsenal found its breakthrough. Eberechi Eze, facing his former team, met a loose ball outside the area and struck a superb half-volley after a ricochet from a corner, firing it past Henderson into the net for his third goal of the campaign. This was Arsenal’s 38th league goal from a set piece since the start of the 2023-24 season, highlighting their ongoing threat from dead-ball situations.

Set-piece Threat piece

After the interval, Arsenal nearly doubled their lead when Gabriel Magalhaes headed against the crossbar following a Declan Rice corner. The Palace goalkeeper produced a fine save to keep out Rice’s follow-up, and Bukayo Saka flashed a left-footed shot just wide minutes later.

Another Clean Sheet for Mikel

Palace, although solid defensively, struggled badly in attack, failing to register a shot on target all match. The introduction of Olise and Ahamada injected some late energy, but Arsenal’s defensive unit—already boasting five straight clean sheets—stood firm. Arsenal managed the closing stages with tactical substitutions, with Timber and Saliba departing due to knocks and Martinelli and Hincapié coming on to shore things up.

Match Stats

Match Overview	Arsenal	Crystal Palace
Ball possession (%)	60	40
Expected goals (xG)	0.92	0.45
Big chances	2	0
Total shots	10	7
Goalkeeper saves	1	2
Corner kicks	4	3
Fouls	6	11
Passes	540	360
Tackles	12	16
Free kicks	11	6

Analysis & Key Moments

Eberechi Eze’s strike: The winning goal was a moment of real quality, punishing a rare lapse in Palace’s defensive marking.
Set-piece dominance: Arsenal’s continued strength on dead balls was pivotal—both in attack and keeping Palace at bay.
Defensive resilience: Another clean sheet reinforced Arsenal’s reputation as the league’s toughest defense in 2025/26, having conceded just three goals in 13 games across all competitions.
Squad depth tested: Arteta’s men managed two key injuries (Saliba and Rice late on) and successfully closed the game out despite the setbacks.

The End

In a demanding fixture, Arsenal’s professionalism and depth shone through as Eze’s goal settled a tense contest. The Gunners continue their pursuit of a first league crown in over two decades, while Palace left North London knowing their defense can frustrate top teams but their attack needs sharpening. Arsenal fans will be hoping the injuries aren’t serious as their busy title run continues.