Ebere Eze, returning to haunt his former club, volleyed the only goal as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace to make it seven wins in a row and extend their lead at the top.

The decisive moment came from a drilled set-piece routine — Declan Rice floated the ball, Gabriel nodded it on and Eze finished with a spectacular volley, turning boos into bedlam at the Emirates.

Arsenal’s defence continues to dominate (ten clean sheets in 13), while their set-piece work is a season-long weapon. It was a cold, efficient victory that felt like championship football.

Next up: Brighton in the Carabao Cup midweek, Burnley in the league, then Slavia Prague in the Champions League — the busy run continues.