Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace to move four points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Eberechi Eze scored his first league goal for the Gunners against his former club, extending their unbeaten run to 10 games. The result came as rivals Liverpool and Manchester City suffered defeats, boosting Arsenal's title hopes.
Arsenal's narrow win at the Emirates Stadium highlighted their defensive solidity, marking a fifth consecutive clean sheet and just three goals conceded in nine Premier League matches. The £67.5m summer signing Eze volleyed home the decisive goal midway through the second half, providing the only breakthrough against a resilient Palace defense.
Former England goalkeeper David James, who predicted a poor season for Arsenal before the campaign, admitted he has been impressed by their form. 'I’d be foolish to say, no, I haven’t changed my mind about Arsenal with them at the top of the table,' James told Metro. 'There’s something about Arsenal I really like. I like the numbers. They’ve improved in so many different areas.' However, he remains skeptical about their title chances, citing the challenge of balancing Premier League and Champions League commitments. 'I don’t think Arsenal will win the title... especially when you’re leading the Premier League.'
The weekend's results favored Arsenal, with defending champions Liverpool suffering a fourth straight league defeat at Brentford, dropping them to seventh and seven points behind. Manchester City lost at Aston Villa, leaving them fifth and six points adrift. Opta gives Arsenal a 67% chance of winning the title, with Bournemouth in second, three points back, followed by Tottenham and surprise package Sunderland.
Paul Merson warned that Sunderland, who sit fourth after a 2-1 win at Chelsea, could pose problems for Arsenal in their November 8 clash. 'Sunderland are going to give them such a hard game... They are an athletic team with pace,' Merson wrote in his Sky Sports column. Arsenal's next test is a trip to Burnley on November 1.