'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Arsenal scraped away all three points at Selhurst park this afternoon courtesy of goals from Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud. The width of the victory could be measured by the width of the upright as a glancing header from super-sub Glen Murray nearly levelled the scores a minute after Murray himself had brought the Eagles back in.
Alan Pardew, however, had to endure his third loss as Palace manager as Arsene Wenger’s men crawled to victory and most importantly bagged another three points. Here, are the player ratings from the game at Selhurst Park, which saw Palace really take the game to Arsenal.
Crystal Palace
Julian Speroni (7/10): Didn’t have much of a chance at saving any of the goals. Always quick off the line to snuff out any potential danger.
Joel Ward (6.5/10): Sheriffed the right-hand side of the Palace defence well and got up with Zaha time and again to provide support.
Damien Delaney (6/10): The 33-year-old’s lack of pace was exposed time and again. Failed to close out Giroud for the second goal.
Scott Dann (6/10): Failed to provide any kind of threat in the set-pieces. Then again, Dwight Gayle didn’t give anyone a real opportunity. Palace’s rock at the back.
Pape Souare (5/10): Had a horror opening half an hour in his Premier League debut. Gave away the penalty and look totally out of sorts positionally. Settled in later. Palace fans will be hoping that the Senegalese has much better days in
Jordan Mutch (6/10): Nothing “Mutch” for us remember him in the game by.
Joe Ledley (6/10): Deployed at the middle of the park to do the dirty work and protect the back four. Did his job well most of the time except when the Gunners were on the break. His hack on Alexis Sanchez to break down a flowing counter reminded exactly what his job is.
Jason Puncheon (7/10): Had some good moments playing as the man in a much deeper role as usual. But, couldn’t really create an opportunity of note.
Wilfried Zaha (7/10): His raw talent was on show as his skills and pace got the better of Nacho Monreal time and again. But, he proved yet again why he is considered a "raw talent" with a lack of a quality ball in the final third.
Dwight Gayle (6/10): Asked to play on the left. Good on the ball but again no end product. The red flag of his game tonight were his set-piece deliveries, the responsibilities of which he later relinquished to Jason Puncheon.
Frazier Campbell (5.5/10): Too little impact on the proceedings.
Subs:
Yannick Bolasie (6.5/10): Really gave Arsenal food for thought as he attacked Chambers at every opportunity. The consistency in the final third, however, needs a lot of refinement.
Glen Murray (8/10): Got Alan Pardew’s team back into the game late into added on time. Could have so easily got the equalizer a minute later when his glancing header came back off the post and into the arms of a relieved David Ospina
Shola Ameobi (6/10): Replaced Dwight Gayle to provide a different dimension to Palace’s game. However, didn’t get enough service to make any impact.
Arsenal
David Ospina (7/10): Stood up to the task whenever called upon, which wasn’t very often.
Calum Chambers (6.5/10): Troubled by Gayle and then mainly Bolasie in the second half as their pace got the better on a number occasions, but the youngster doesn’t seem to have mistakes in him.
Per Mertesacker (7/10): The German was like a wall that Crystal Palace could not breach from set-pieces.
Lauren Koscielny (7.5/10): The Frenchman’s stature as Arsenal’s main man at the back grows every day with each outing. Will, however, be disappointed at letting a clean sheet go dow the drain in the final few minutes.
Nacho Monreal (5.5/10): Looked like Arsenal’s weak link at the back with Wilfried Zaha taking him for a ride at will.
Francis Coquelin(6.5/10): Stuck to his task off shielding the Arsenal backline but cut dow on his agressive streak after a couple of iffy challenges and a card in the first half.
Santi Cazorla (7.5/10): Coolly tucked away the penalty, which came incidentally against the run of play as Palace got off the blocks much quicker. Did well to provide the bridge between the midfield and the forward line. It’s really just a delight to see the Spaniard back to his best with his twinkle toe footwork.
Danny Welbeck (7/10): The Englishman always puts a shift in and this game was no exception. Was involved in two very vital moments in t he game but else was largely anonymous going forward. Earned the penalty that gave Arsenal the lead and then assisted for the second as well, although not intentionally.
Mesut Ozil (7/10): An efficient game for the World Cup winner sho is starting to show up some sync with Cazorla and Sanchez, which bodes well for Arsenal going forward.
Alexis Sanchez (7/10): Still seems a tad bit off his game since coming back from injury. Missed a great opportunity to put the Gunner three goals to the good. Now it’s five games without a goal for the Chilean, which incidentally is his longest drought in his short Arsenal career.
Olivier Giroud (7/10): Not any other real moments worth remembering except for the goal. But then again, that’s what forwards are paid for.
Subs:
Kieran Gibbs (6/10): Brought on late to shore up Arsenal’s left side where Nacho Monreal had been struggling to contain Wilfried Zaha.
Tomas Rosicky (6/10): Too little time to make any sort of a difference.
Gabriel Paulista (6/10): Came on at the death to shut up shop.
