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Gabriel Martinelli became the first Brazilian player to score the first goal of a Premier League seasonArsenal got their campaign off to the perfect start as Mikel Arteta's side beat Crystal Palace in an entertaining 2022-23 Premier League curtain-raiser at Selhurst Park.
The Gunners maintained their impressive pre-season form with an energetic performance that was rewarded when Gabriel Martinelli nodded in a 20th-minute opener from new signing Oleksandr Zinchenko's headed assist.
It took Palace most of the first half to adapt to the visitors' tempo, but once they did Odsonne Edouard forced Aaron Ramsdale into a save after Joachim Andersen's header found him in the six-yard box.
Buoyed by a vibrant home crowd, the Eagles poured forward in search of a leveller but it was Arsenal who found the net again, Marc Guehi inadvertently heading Bukayo Saka's fierce cross into his own goal late on.
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Gunners lay down a top-four marker
Between Arsenal's savvy transfer business, free-scoring pre-season form and being the focus of Amazon's latest All or Nothing series, there has been plenty to whet their fans' appetites this summer.
We may have to wait until the second series to learn whether Arteta piped Palace anthem 'Glad All Over' out during training before this one - as he did with 'You'll Never Walk Alone' before visiting Anfield last season - or whether it was the Spaniard's artwork that set the tone, but his side arrived with a relentless intensity that made Martinelli's opening goal feel inevitable.
The 21-year-old Brazilian had earlier missed a glorious chance after Gabriel Jesus waltzed through the Palace defence, skewing wide of the far post after his compatriot's effort was blocked, but he stooped to head in from a clever corner routine.
The Gunners lost their opening three league games last season, including another Friday night opener at Brentford, and ultimately narrowly missed out on a return to Champions League football.
But they have strengthened with the acquisitions of Jesus and Zinchenko from Manchester City and both already look to set to have a big impact on Arteta's young squad.
Jesus, who scored seven goals in five pre-season games, caused Palace's back four problems with his relentless work-rate as well as his talent on the ball, and he laid on a chance for Martin Odegaard that the Gunners captain might have done better with.
It was another Arsenal debutant who really impressed, with 21-year-old centre back William Saliba - who has spent most of his three years at the club out on loan, producing a fine defensive display.
The Frenchman was part of a back four that had to show resilience amid the hosts' growing threat, before Guehi's own goal following a snappy Saka break made things more comfortable.
It was a result and performance that will have pleased boss Arteta, while simultaneously giving Arsenal's top-four rivals a glimpse of what they are up against this term.
More to follow.
Player of the match
SalibaWilliam Saliba
with an average of 8.28
Crystal Palace
Squad number16Player nameAndersen
Squad number11Player nameZaha
Squad number10Player nameEze
Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew
Squad number13Player nameGuaita
Squad number28Player nameDoucouré
Squad number6Player nameGuéhi
Squad number17Player nameClyne
Squad number22Player nameÉdouard
Squad number15Player nameSchlupp
Squad number3Player nameMitchell
Squad number23Player nameEbiowei
Squad number14Player nameMateta
Squad number4Player nameMilivojevic
Squad number19Player nameHughes
Arsenal
- Squad number12Player nameSaliba
- Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
- Squad number11Player nameGabriel Martinelli
- Squad number35Player nameZinchenko
- Squad number7Player nameSaka
- Squad number1Player nameRamsdale
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel Magalhães
- Squad number3Player nameTierney
- Squad number8Player nameØdegaard
- Squad number14Player nameNketiah
- Squad number5Player namePartey
Squad number34Player nameXhaka- Squad number4Player nameWhite
- Squad number23Player nameSambi Lokonga
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Guaita
- 17ClyneBooked at 64mins
- 16Andersen
- 6Guéhi
- 3Mitchell
- 28DoucouréSubstituted forMilivojevicat 75'minutes
- 15SchluppSubstituted forHughesat 86'minutes
- 9J Ayew
- 10EzeSubstituted forEbioweiat 86'minutes
- 11Zaha
- 22ÉdouardSubstituted forMatetaat 58'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ward
- 4Milivojevic
- 14Mateta
- 19Hughes
- 21Johnstone
- 23Ebiowei
- 26Richards
- 44Riedewald
- 48Plange
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Ramsdale
- 4WhiteBooked at 60mins
- 12Saliba
- 6Gabriel
- 35ZinchenkoSubstituted forTierneyat 83'minutes
- 5Partey
- 34XhakaBooked at 44mins
- 7Saka
- 8ØdegaardSubstituted forSambi Lokongaat 90+3'minutes
- 11Martinelli
- 9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forNketiahat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Tierney
- 14Nketiah
- 16Holding
- 17Cédric Soares
- 19Pépé
- 23Sambi Lokonga
- 24Nelson
- 25Elneny
- 30Turner
Referee:Anthony Taylor
Attendance:25,286
Live Text
Match ends, Crystal Palace 0, Arsenal 2.
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 0, Arsenal 2.
Foul by Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace).
Albert Sambi Lokonga (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Arsenal. Albert Sambi Lokonga replaces Martin Ødegaard.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Marc Guéhi.
Attempt blocked. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eddie Nketiah.
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Malcolm Ebiowei replaces Eberechi Eze.
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Will Hughes replaces Jeffrey Schlupp.
Own Goal by Marc Guéhi, Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace 0, Arsenal 2.
Attempt missed. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the left. Assisted by Thomas Partey.
Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces Gabriel Jesus.
Substitution, Arsenal. Kieran Tierney replaces Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Attempt missed. Jeffrey Schlupp (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Attempt missed. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Wilfried Zaha with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nathaniel Clyne.
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Thomas Partey (Arsenal).
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