"Only he looked like he wanted to play", "The perfect performance" - Fans hail Arsenal star after 2-2 Crystal Palace draw

Arsenal fans online have commended Jakub Kiwior for his display in their 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday (April 23). Kiwior's defensive impact was excellent and he was arguably the Gunners' best player against the Eagles.

Following a foul on Gabriel Martinelli by Palace's Jefferson Lerma, the Gunners were awarded a free kick in the third minute. Martin Odegaard delivered a cross that was headed into the net by Kiwior to put the North London outfit ahead.

Eberechi Eze connected with a corner kick from Adam Wharton and volleyed the ball past David Raya to make the scoreline 1-1 in the 27th minute. In the 42nd minute, Leandro Trossard collected a pass from Jurrien Timber and placed the ball in the net to put the Gunners ahead at halftime.

However, William Saliba made a bizarre defensive error that ensured Palace's equalizer in the 83rd minute. The Frenchman gifted the ball to Jean-Philippe Mateta, who caught Raya out of position and chipped the ball into the net. Thus, the game ended 2-2, as both teams shared one point each.

In his time on the pitch, Kiwior maintained a passing accuracy of 97% (115/120). He registered six clearances, one tackle, and recorded one shot on target (via Sofascore).

In the absence of Gabriel Magalhães at centre-back, Kiwior proved a worthy replacement. Thus, fans praised the Polish international for his performance on X, with one writing:

"Only Kiwior looked like he wanted to play today."

"We thought Kiwior would be the problem...lol," another added.

"Kiwior was alright. crutial blocks and great header. agree with the rest," an impressed fan tweeted.

"Kiwior stood out for me as the only one," another fan suggested.

"The perfect performance from Jakub Kiwior ahead of the game against PSG next week. He’s ready," wrote another.

How did Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard perform against Crystal Palace?

Arsenal FC v Crystal Palace FC - Premier League - Source: Getty

Amid their inconceivable performance, Martin Odegaard was one of the players who tried to improve the Gunners’ creativity. The Norwegian was also the mastermind behind Arsenal's opening goal.

Odegaard maintained a passing precision of 80% (43/54). He delivered two key passes, created one big chance, and won one out of four ground duels (via Sofascore).

Odegaard has scored twice and recorded six assists in 26 Premier League games this season. The North London outfit remain in second place in the standings with 67 points from 34 league games. Arsenal have given leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, a 12-point lead in the title race, with four games left to play.