Key stats
- Arsenal have scored in 35 of their 38 games, more often than any other team in the Premier League this season.
- Crystal Palace have failed to win in their last seven games in the Premier League, their last longer winless streak was from 14th December 2025 to 1st February 2026, a run of nine games.
- Jean Mateta has scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season (one in this game), more than any other Crystal Palace player.
Analysis
Crystal Palace threw everything at the Gunners towards the end, which almost allowed them to snatch a draw.
Match report
While they did not have an unbeaten season to play for this time around, Arsenal almost scored inside just four minutes, as Gabriel Jesus’ shot came back out off the post, before Dean Henderson got behind Noni Madueke’s follow-up.
The former has a hat-trick against the Eagles on his CV, and could have easily had another one in the first half alone when he was put through one-on-one, only for Henderson to smother his effort, before heading into the side-netting at the far post.
But like coronation day scorers such as Tony Adams and Thierry Henry before him, Jesus eventually got the goal he was threatening.
In some classic Seleção telepathy, he was sent through again by his Brazilian compatriot and namesake Gabriel Martinelli, before rifling into the near post beyond Henderson’s reach.
Palace only mustered one shot before HT themselves, although it was a good one as Daniel Muñoz’s diving header was terrifically tipped away by Kepa Arrizabalaga on his one and only PL appearance this season.
Perhaps expectedly, both teams made multiple changes ahead of the second half, and one of them had an instant impact for Arsenal in Kai Havertz.
No surprises that the Gunners’ second goal came from a corner, with Martinelli whipping it to the far post for Havertz to head back to Madueke, who neatly volleyed home.
Palace at least showed some fight after and Jørgen Strand Larsen will feel like he should have done better when he fired over from inside the box.
Arsenal fans were still cheering though and were extra jubilant when Mikel Merino was substituted on after months out injured, replacing Max Dowman who became the youngest-ever starter in PL history.
Another substitute then grabbed the attention when ex-Arsenal academy graduate and more notably former Palace star Eberechi Eze was brought on to a mixed reception from the crowd.
It was Merino though who squandered the best chance to get on the scoresheet when he struck over from close range in the latter stages.
Palace managed to pull a goal back through two substitutes combining, as Yéremy Pino crossed for Jean-Philippe Mateta to head home his fourth career goal against Arsenal.
Pino himself then struck home to briefly silence the away fans, but it was disallowed with Evann Guessand interfering in an offside position.
Still, Mikel Arteta’s men won a fifth straight PL game, and lifted the trophy in front of the travelling support, with their 26th victory matching the tally of the Invincibles.
Oliver Glasner’s final home match in charge of Palace sees them end their five-game unbeaten league run at Selhurst Park (W2, D3), and both teams now have important European finals to look forward to next week.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Noni Madueke (Arsenal)
