Report By Dr. Talal Osman
Crystal Palace 1 – Arsenal 2
Arsenal ended their Premier League title‑winning season on a high, securing a hard‑fought 2–1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Mikel Arteta’s side had already been crowned champions on 19 May, following Manchester City’s 1–1 draw with Bournemouth, bringing an end to the club’s 22‑year wait for a Premier League trophy. With confidence flowing, Arsenal started brightly as Gabriel Jesus twice went close early on first striking the woodwork with a placed effort, then being denied one‑on‑one by Dean Henderson.
The Brazilian eventually found his breakthrough, drilling a low shot into the bottom corner just before half‑time to give the champions a deserved lead. Three minutes into the second half, Noni Madueke doubled Arsenal’s advantage with a composed volley through a crowded penalty area following a well‑worked corner routine.
Crystal Palace pulled one back late on when Jean‑Philippe Mateta flicked in a header to set up a tense finish. Moments later, Yeremy Pino thought he had equalised, but VAR ruled the goal out after the ball deflected off Evann Guessand, who was standing in an offside position.
Manchester City’s 2–1 defeat to Aston Villa ensured Arsenal finished seven points clear at the top of the table. Meanwhile, Oliver Glasner’s final Premier League match in charge of Palace ended in defeat, with the Eagles remaining in 15th place.
How the Match Unfolded
Arsenal nearly struck early when Jefferson Lerma misjudged Piero Hincapié’s long ball, allowing Jesus to race through. His side‑footed effort clipped the post, and Madueke’s sharp rebound was gathered by Henderson.
The same duo combined again shortly after, with Madueke threading a pass to Jesus, whose one‑on‑one strike was once more blocked by the Palace goalkeeper.
Arsenal’s dominance finally told in the 42nd minute. Gabriel Martinelli slipped a clever pass into Jesus, who squeezed a near‑post finish past Henderson to break the deadlock.
The champions struck again early in the second half. Kai Havertz cushioned a header into the path of Madueke from a corner, and the winger volleyed home with precision to make it 2–0.
Palace rallied late. Mateta’s glancing header in the 89th minute halved the deficit, and Pino briefly believed he had rescued a point only for VAR to intervene.
Former Palace star Eberechi Eze, who spent five years at Selhurst Park and scored the winner in the 2025 FA Cup final, came off the bench and nearly equalised with the last kick of the match, but Henderson denied him from point‑blank range.
