Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: 10-Man Gunners Win 1-0

Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park with a penalty from Martin Odegaard. The Gunners had to play with 10 men after Takehiro Tomiyasu was sent off.

Arsenal edge past Crystal Palace with 10 men

Arsenal maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday night. The Gunners scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot, but had to survive a late onslaught from the hosts after Takehiro Tomiyasu was controversially sent off.

Odegaard's penalty makes the difference

The first half was a cagey affair, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances. Arsenal had more possession and territory, but Palace defended well and looked dangerous on the counter-attack. The best opportunity fell to Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah, who was denied by a superb save from Sam Johnstone after a clever flick by Kai Havertz.

The deadlock was broken in the 54th minute, when Arsenal were awarded a penalty after Joachim Andersen was adjudged to have fouled Gabriel Martinelli in the box. Martin Odegaard, who captained the Gunners in the absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past Johnstone to give his side the lead.

Tomiyasu sees red

Arsenal's task became more difficult in the 67th minute, when Tomiyasu received his second yellow card for a foul on Jeffrey Schlupp. The Japanese right-back, who made his debut for Arsenal after joining from Bologna, had been booked earlier for time-wasting. Both decisions seemed harsh, as Tomiyasu appeared to win the ball cleanly in both cases.

Palace sensed an opportunity to salvage a point and threw everything at Arsenal in the final stages. The Eagles had several chances to equalize, but were denied by some heroic defending and goalkeeping from Arsenal. Aaron Ramsdale made a stunning save to tip over a header from Christian Benteke, while Ben White and William Saliba made crucial blocks and interceptions.

Arsenal join City and Brighton at the top

The final whistle brought relief and joy for Arsenal, who held on for their second consecutive 1-0 win in the league. The Gunners joined Manchester City and Brighton at the top of the table with six points from two games, while Palace remained on three points after their opening day victory at Sheffield United.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his team's resilience and character after the game, saying that they showed courage and determination to overcome a tough opponent and a difficult refereeing decision. He also hailed Odegaard's leadership and penalty-taking skills, saying that he was delighted with his performance.

Palace boss Roy Hodgson was disappointed with the result, but not with his team's effort and quality. He said that Palace deserved at least a draw, if not more, and that they were unlucky with some of the decisions that went against them. He also complimented Arsenal's defensive solidity and organization, saying that they were difficult to break down.

What's next?

Both teams will be back in action next weekend, with Arsenal hosting West Ham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, while Palace travel to face Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on Sunday. Both games will kick off at 3pm BST.