Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal: 5 Talking Points as Odegaard's penalty seals tough win for 10-man Gunners | Premier League 2023-24

Arsenal needed to dig deep to secure an important 1-0 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Monday, August 21.

The Eagles went into this game on the back of a narrow 1-0 win against Sheffield United in their opening fixture. Having dominated possession, Palace were taken over the line by a second-half strike from Odsonne Edouard. Manager Roy Hodgson named a strong lineup for this game - their first at home.

The Gunners, on the other hand, defeated Nottingham Forest 2-1 on opening day with goals from Edward Nketiah and Bukayo Saka. They looked strong at the start but were given a run for their money by Steve Cooper's men. However, they held on to win. Mikel Arteta named a strong lineup for this game with one enforced change as the injured Jurrien Timber was replaced by Takehiro Tomiyasu.

The first period was a tense affair which saw Arsenal dominate possession with nearly 68% of the ball. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, did well and remained compact in defense for the most part but were unable to transition quicker than the Gunners while attacking. This prevented them from making the most of their limited possession.

A total of 14 shots were attempted by the two teams, with both sides hitting the target once apiece. The hosts attempted five shots compared to the visitors' nine but neither managed to score as the teams went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half saw the game burst into life as both teams began showing their hands and creating chances with greater regularity. Arsenal grabbed the lead just nine minutes after the resumption of play as Palace 'keeper Sam Johnstone fouled Edward Nketiah inside his 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty. Skipper Martin Odegaard stepped up and made no mistake from the spot to make it 1-0.

Both managers then turned to their respective benches as they looked to alter the course of the game. Arsenal were forced to go defensive following the sending off of Takehiro Tomiyasu for two bookable offences, leaving them in a pickle. However, manager Mikel Arteta managed the game well towards the end, making key changes that helped them seal the narrow 1-0 win.

On that note, let's take a look at the five talking points from this game.

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#5. Crystal Palace dug deep to shut Arsenal out in the first half

The first period was fairly tense, which saw visitors Arsenal keep most of the ball but hosts Crystal Palace did not make anything straightforward for them. The Gunners had the ball for 68% of the time, attempting nine shots with just one on target. Their hosts attempted five shots with one on target as both teams struggled to find their shooting boots in the final third.

Since they had limited possession, chances were at a premium and Crystal Palace struggled to do much with theirs as they continued to hold fort against the Gunners.

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#4. Martin Odegaard converted a penalty to give the Gunners the lead

The first half was a goalless affair as the teams were deadlocked 0-0 heading into the break. However, Arsenal looked the stronger and more determined side as the two teams walked out onto the pitch for the second half. They pushed forward and got closer to Crystal Palace's goal and were awarded a penalty in the 54th minute.

Eddie Nketiah took a touch that pushed the ball away from the onrushing Sam Johnstone, who took the forward out with his slide. Referee David Coote showed no hesitation as he pointed to the spot immediately and was backed up by the VAR. Martin Odegaard stepped up and converted the penalty coolly to make it 1-0.

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#3. Takehiro Tomiyasu's harsh and controversial sending off gave Palace a boost

Shortly after going ahead, Arsenal received their first booking of the game as Takehiro Tomiyasu found himself in an awkward situation. There was a delay inbounding the ball from Arsenal as they took longer than the stipulated eight-second margin. Tomiyasu was promptly booked for time-wasting having taken longer.

The Japanese defender then received a second yellow card just a few minutes later, this time for a tackle. Although the booking was harsh, there was nothing anyone could do to reverse it as it was outside of the VAR's jurisdiction, being a second yellow card. The Gunners played the remaining half hour or so down to 10 men, with their backs against the wall.

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#2. Mikel Arteta brought on nearly every fit defender

Following Tomiyasu's sending off, Arsenal were left to navigate the remainder of the game with 10 men. However, Arteta was proactive with his changes as made four substitutions to put the Gunners in a better place defensively.

Martinelli, Nketiah, Saka and Odegaard were all taken off and replaced by Gabriel, Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko, as the visitors looked to defend their slender one-goal lead.

Following the sending off, Crystal Palace also kept the ball for long spells - nearly 80% until the final whistle. Despite the disparity, Arsenal stuck together and did well to grind out the win.

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#1. Arsenal seem better-placed to defend leads compared to last season

Last season, Arsenal played a more carefree and intentionally attacking style of football which often left them exposed at the back against the top sides. Due to this, they looked fragile and vulnerable at times despite having a one or two goal lead. Their inability to handle immense pressure situations showed in last season's run-in, where they dropped several points in succession to lose out on the title.

This year, however, Arteta's side look stronger and more organized, boosted by incomings as well as one more full preaseason together as a squad. They showed glimpses of this mentality in their Community Shield win against Manchester City earlier this month and dug deep once again to secure a 1-0 win over Palace.