Home SPORTS The Numbers Behind Arsenal's Hard-Fought 1-0 Win Over Crystal Palace

The Numbers Behind Arsenal's Hard-Fought 1-0 Win Over Crystal Palace

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Arsenal Vs Crystal Palace
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace, analyzing the data from a tense 1-0 victory


Crystal Palace visited the Emirates Stadium on Sunday with the goal of securing their first Premier League victory over Arsenal since April 2022.


Arsenal struggled to create scoring opportunities against Crystal Palace, failing to register a single shot in the opening 30 minutes of the game...

Arsenal secured a crucial win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, extending their unbeaten streak against the Eagles.


The visitors were looking to end a two-year drought without a Premier League win over Arsenal, last achieving this feat in April 2022. However, the hosts' recent form and head-to-head dominance made this a challenging task for Crystal Palace.


The match was a closely contested encounter, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. Ultimately, Arsenal's determination and quality paid off, allowing them to claim all three points.


Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Preview

The match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace had significant implications, with Arsenal sitting atop the English top flight and Crystal Palace positioned eighth after their thrilling 3-3 draw against Bournemouth in their previous match. Jean-Philippe Mateta had a standout performance for Palace, scoring a hat-trick but also missed a crucial opportunity in stoppage time.

 



Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta's management, were looking to maintain their lead at the top of the table, but they were aware of the intense competition from Manchester City and other top contenders breathing down their necks.


Arsenal were heavy pre-match favorites, riding high on their unbeaten home record in 2025/26 with three wins and one draw. However, the Gunners had struggled with high expectations in the previous season, often faltering against teams they were supposed to beat, ultimately costing them the Premier League title.


Mikel Arteta's team lineup remained unchanged from their previous game, marking the first time since September 2024 that the manager had selected the same starting XI in consecutive matches. This consistency seemed to pay off, given that Arsenal had won nine and drawn one in their previous 10 matches when fielding the same team in back-to-back games.




The Gunners were in control from the start, dominating possession with an impressive 83.9% share in the opening quarter of an hour. Their passes were also remarkably accurate, with a 92% completion rate. However, despite this dominance, they struggled to create meaningful opportunities on goal.


Viktor Gyökeres, in particular, seemed disconnected from the play, touching the ball only once in the early stages. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace showed flashes of danger, with Marc Guehi and Ismaila Sarr having shots blocked, and Adam Wharton firing wide.


Arsenal struggled to create scoring opportunities against Crystal Palace, failing to register a single shot in the opening 30 minutes of the game. This was a rare occurrence, as the North Londoners hadn't gone this long without a shot in a league game against Palace since they returned to the Premier League in 2013.


The drought finally ended in the 33rd minute when Leandro Trossard managed to get a shot off, marking the longest wait for an attempt on goal in a Premier League game for Arsenal since April 2021 against Liverpool, which also occurred in the 33rd minute.



Match-Winning Goal

Eze's impressive finish sealed the win for Arsenal against his former club, Crystal Palace. Declan Rice's free-kick was headed down by Gabriel Magalhães, and Eze showed excellent technique to guide the ball past Dean Henderson with a half-volley.


The goal marked a crucial win for Arsenal, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table. Given their strong record of winning games when taking the lead, Palace needed a significant response to salvage a point, but Arsenal's defense held strong.


The match showcased Arsenal's defensive solidity and set-piece expertise, with Eze's goal highlighting their ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Despite Palace's efforts, Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya made crucial saves to maintain the clean sheet.


Crystal Palace hadn't managed to come from behind to win a game in the Premier League since October 2022, when they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers. The first half saw Marc Guehi and William Saliba being the most active players for their respective teams, which might explain the lack of genuine goal-scoring opportunities.


The expected goals (xG) for both teams in the first half were a collective 0.20, the lowest in the Premier League this season. This statistic highlights the defensive solidity and lack of clear scoring chances in the opening 45 minutes.



Arsenal's Defensive Solidity

Arsenal maintained their impressive defensive record, keeping another clean sheet in the first half. This achievement marks their seventh shutout in nine league games, the best record in the division.


After the break, Arsenal took a more aggressive approach, with Gabriel's header hitting the woodwork and additional attempts from Trossard, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka. This shift in strategy showcased the team's determination to secure a win.


Arsenal's set pieces were proving to be a potent force, with six of their eight shots by the hour mark coming from these situations. This tactic has become a key aspect of their game plan, often catching opponents off guard.






Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner made a tactical substitution, bringing on Eddie Nketiah, a former Arsenal player, in an attempt to spark a comeback. Nketiah's appearance marked his 103rd substitute appearance since the 2017/18 season, a statistic that might not sit well with the striker. Despite this, Nketiah showed flashes of promise, registering Palace's second shot on target 10 minutes after coming on. However, neither Nketiah nor his team could capitalize on the opportunity to change the course of the game.


Mateta's Stats and Palace's Performance

Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta had a decent game, but it wasn't enough to trouble Arsenal's defense. Despite Palace's efforts, they couldn't find the back of the net, with Mateta's stats showing he wasn't at his best.


Arsenal's win over Palace marked their third consecutive clean sheet in the league, a streak they hadn't achieved since December 2020 and January 2021. During that period, they kept four consecutive clean sheets.


David Raya's clean sheet against Palace was a milestone moment for the Spanish goalkeeper, marking his 50th clean sheet for Arsenal. This achievement showcases Raya's exceptional goalkeeping skills and his importance to the team.


Crystal Palace will know they were outplayed by Arsenal on the day, despite the scoreline suggesting a closer contest. Jean-Philippe Mateta's solitary touch in the Arsenal box over the 90+ minutes is a telling indicator of Palace's struggles.


The stats reveal a determined effort from Palace, who attempted more tackles (16 to 12) and won more of them (9 to 7) than Arsenal, while also making more interceptions (12 to 6). However, these numbers will offer little solace for manager Oliver Glasner and his team.


With favorable results elsewhere, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be pleased with his team's performance, considering Sunday's win a job well done.


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