Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on October 26, 2025, thanks to Eberechi Eze's first-half goal. The win marked Arsenal's fourth consecutive league success and extended their lead at the top to four points after nine games. Pundits praised the Gunners' defensive solidity and key players like Gabriel Magalhaes amid rivals' stumbles.
Arsenal's narrow win over Crystal Palace came via a set-piece in the first half, where Eberechi Eze rifled in a scissor kick from Gabriel Magalhaes' nod-down. This marked Eze's first Premier League goal for Arsenal since his £60 million transfer from Palace late in the summer window. Eze, who supported Arsenal as a child, barely celebrated the strike against his former club.
The result extended Arsenal's unbeaten run since August and provided their sixth clean sheet in nine games, having conceded just three goals overall. Manager Mikel Arteta highlighted Eze's impact, saying, "The technique is unbelievable... He's certainly a big player and hopefully that's going to give him a big boost." However, the match saw concerns with William Saliba withdrawn at halftime due to injury and Declan Rice substituted midway through the second half with an undisclosed issue.
Arsenal's success was boosted by losses for title rivals: Manchester City fell 1-0 at Aston Villa to Matty Cash's 19th-minute strike, ending Erling Haaland's 12-game scoring streak; Liverpool lost 3-2 at Brentford; and Bournemouth's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest positioned them as Arsenal's closest challengers. Tottenham beat Everton 3-0 with two goals from Micky van de Ven and one from Pape Sarr.
Pundit Gary Neville declared the title "Arsenal's to win," predicting high 80s points would suffice: "This has got to be their year... They aren't going to have to get 100 points, or even 90." Jamie Carragher lauded Gabriel as the league's "most influential player," calling him a "colossus at the back" and set-piece threat, positioning him as a PFA Player of the Year contender if Arsenal triumphs. Arteta remained cautious: "It’s very early, we’re still in October."
