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| Alexis Sanchez celebrates after his header is turned into the net for an own goal by Damien Delaney |
ARSENAL picked up their first points of the season against Crystal Palace as they stretched their unbeaten run at Selhurst Park to 13 games.
The Gunners were determined to not secure back-to-back opening defeats for the first time in 23 years, as Oliver Giroud’s spectacular overhead kick and Damien Delaney’s own goal sealed a victory for Arsene Wenger’s men.
Palace had levelled before half time with Joel Ward’s long distance strike but it wasn’t enough to stop a ruthless Arsenal performance.
Arsenal came out the blocks the fastest with Giroud having the first chance of the game within five minutes but Scott Dann’s block was equal to it.
Then, from a Palace corner, the home side quickly got to know how quick Arsenal can be on the counter attack. Santi Cazorla began the move that led to Alexis Sanchez being denied what looked to be a certain goal, if it wasn’t at first by blocked by Joel Ward, and then cleared off the line by James McArthur.
Palace looked nervous.
Then it was Palace’s turn to show off their attacking threat. Bolasie ran down the wing before switching it to Yohan Cabaye and then on to Zaha - his cross though was comfortably greeted by the safe hands of Petr Cech.
But it was the away side who took the lead, Mesut Ozil’s first time cross was met superbly by Giroud’s overhead kick to give the Gunners a deserved lead after 15 minutes.
Sanchez again turned it up a notch causing Palace’s back-line all sorts of problems, his shot saved by Alex McCarthy making the save down to his right to deny the Chilean before Ward hooked it to safety.
Moments later, Sanchez was presented with a free header but couldn’t divert it goal. The Chilean could have had a hat-trick within 25 minutes.
Those squandered chances gave Palace hope and after 27 minutes, Palace were level; McArthur’s short ball into Ward saw the right-back fire a thunderous strike from the edge of the box to sneak under Cech.
Arsenal continued in search of their second and if it weren’t for McCarthy’s reflex save to deny Aaron Ramsey’s cheeky back-heeled attempt; they would have been.
The onslaught continued from Arsenal but Palace continued to throw themselves in front of everything to head into the break level.
From the restart it was Palace who fired an early warning shot. Zaha’s lofted through ball found Connor Wickham, who had been quiet in the first half, but his first time shot rattled a post.
But it was Arsenal who once again took the lead after Sanchez’s towering header across the box saw Damien Delaney stick out a leg and divert it into his own net.
Francis Coquelin was substituted off for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with half an hour still to go following words from referee Lee Mason - who decided against giving the Frenchman a second yellow on two spate occasions.
Oxlade-Chamberlain wasted no time in introducing himself to the game as he targeted Pape Souare down the right wing but none of the chances led to anything that tested McCarthy.
Palace were struggling to keep up with Arsenal’s midfield creativity as Sanchez continued to threaten.
Wickham once again had another chance to level after controlling the ball with his chest but his volley fired wide of a post, before Jordon Mutch reacted too late to head home Jason Puncheon’s corner.
Another corner. Palace were going for it. This time Ward rose highest but his header fell straight to Cech who collected comfortably. Down the other end, Cazorla had the chance to wrap things up for Arsenal but he was denied by McCarthy.
Palace continued to press for the equaliser but it never came as Wenger’s side departed South London with all three points.
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