Gabriel Martinelli became the first Brazilian player to score the first goal of a Premier League season
Arsenal got their campaign off to the perfect start as Mikel Arteta's side beat Crystal Palace in an entertaining 2022-23 Premier League curtain-raiser at Selhurst Park.
The Gunners maintained their impressive pre-season form with an energetic performance that was rewarded when Gabriel Martinelli nodded in a 20th-minute opener from new signing Oleksandr Zinchenko's headed assist.
It took Palace most of the first half to adapt to the visitors' tempo, but once they did Odsonne Edouard forced Aaron Ramsdale into a save after Joachim Andersen's header found him in the six-yard box.
Buoyed by a vibrant home crowd, the Eagles poured forward in search of a leveller but it was Arsenal who found the net again, Marc Guehi inadvertently heading Bukayo Saka's fierce cross into his own goal late on.
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Gunners lay down a top-four marker
Between Arsenal's savvy transfer business, free-scoring pre-season form and being the focus of Amazon's latest All or Nothing series, there has been plenty to whet their fans' appetites this summer.
We may have to wait until the second series to learn whether Arteta piped Palace anthem 'Glad All Over' out during training before this one - as he did with 'You'll Never Walk Alone' before visiting Anfield last season - or whether it was the Spaniard's artwork that set the tone, but his side arrived with a relentless intensity that made Martinelli's opening goal feel inevitable.
Mikel Arteta praises Arsenal's 'hungry' mentality in win at Palace
The 21-year-old Brazilian had earlier missed a glorious chance after Gabriel Jesus waltzed through the Palace defence, skewing wide of the far post after his compatriot's effort was blocked, but he stooped to head in from a clever corner routine.
The Gunners lost their opening three league games last season, including another Friday night opener at Brentford, and ultimately narrowly missed out on a return to Champions League football.
But they have strengthened with the acquisitions of Jesus and Zinchenko from Manchester City and both already look set to have a big impact on Arteta's young squad.
Jesus, who scored seven goals in five pre-season games, caused Palace's back four problems with his relentless work-rate as well as his talent on the ball, and he laid on a chance for Martin Odegaard that the Gunners captain might have done better with.
It was another Arsenal debutant who really impressed, with 21-year-old centre back William Saliba - who has spent most of his three years at the club out on loan, producing a fine defensive display.
The Frenchman was part of a back four that had to show resilience amid the hosts' growing threat, before Guehi's own goal following a snappy Saka break made things more comfortable.
It was a result and performance that will have pleased Arteta, who recorded his 50th league win as Gunners boss, while simultaneously giving Arsenal's top-four rivals a glimpse of what they are up against this term.
Palace fail to turn pressure into pointsMissed chances cost Palace - Patrick Vieira
Palace boss Patrick Vieira was concerned this game had arrived too early after a disrupted pre-season that saw some of his squad not being able to travel to Singapore and Australia, some players remaining on the treatment table, and the Frenchman still hoping to make more transfer additions.
He also said he was happy with the business the Eagles have done so far this window, although only Cheick Doucoure started after arriving from Lens, and Palace struggled to deal with an irrepressible Arsenal early on.
The hosts, who took four points off Arsenal last season, did improve and Ramsdale's save from Edouard's header before the break was followed after half-time when the goalkeeper also denied Eberechi Eze following Wilfried Zaha's pass in what kick-started a dominant spell for the Eagles.
Palace, who are looking to improve on their 12th-placed finish last season, were unable to capitalise on that pressure and were instead caught out on the break, but Vieira will want to wait until the end of the transfer window before giving a real assessment of where his side are.
Player of the match
SalibaWilliam Saliba
with an average of 8.28
- Crystal PalaceCrystal PalaceCrystal PalaceArsenalArsenalArsenal
Crystal PalaceAvgSquad number16Player nameAndersenAverage rating
5.83
Squad number11Player nameZahaAverage rating
5.27
Squad number10Player nameEzeAverage rating
5.24
Squad number9Player nameJ AyewAverage rating
5.19
Squad number13Player nameGuaitaAverage rating
5.18
Squad number28Player nameDoucouréAverage rating
5.13
Squad number6Player nameGuéhiAverage rating
5.10
Squad number17Player nameClyneAverage rating
5.08
Squad number3Player nameMitchellAverage rating
4.96
Squad number22Player nameÉdouardAverage rating
4.95
Squad number15Player nameSchluppAverage rating
4.95
Squad number23Player nameEbioweiAverage rating
4.84
Squad number14Player nameMatetaAverage rating
4.74
Squad number4Player nameMilivojevicAverage rating
4.62
Squad number19Player nameHughesAverage rating
4.55
ArsenalAvgSquad number12Player nameSalibaAverage rating
8.28
Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating
7.84
Squad number11Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
7.77
Squad number35Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating
7.65
Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
7.56
Squad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
7.52
Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
7.36
Squad number3Player nameTierneyAverage rating
7.28
Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
7.15
Squad number14Player nameNketiahAverage rating
6.98
Squad number5Player nameParteyAverage rating
6.86
Squad number34Player nameXhakaAverage rating
6.85
Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
6.82
Squad number23Player nameSambi LokongaAverage rating
6.38
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsCrystal Palace
Formation 4-2-3-1
13Guaita17Clyne16Andersen6Guéhi3Mitchell28Doucouré15Schlupp9J Ayew10Eze11Zaha22Édouard
- 13Guaita17ClyneBooked at 64mins16Andersen6Guéhi3Mitchell28DoucouréSubstituted forMilivojevicat 75'minutes15SchluppSubstituted forHughesat 86'minutes9J Ayew10EzeSubstituted forEbioweiat 86'minutes11Zaha22ÉdouardSubstituted forMatetaat 58'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ward4Milivojevic14Mateta19Hughes21Johnstone23Ebiowei26Richards44Riedewald48Plange
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Ramsdale4White12Saliba6Gabriel35Zinchenko5Partey34Xhaka7Saka8Ødegaard11Martinelli9Gabriel Jesus
- 1Ramsdale4WhiteBooked at 60mins12Saliba6Gabriel35ZinchenkoSubstituted forTierneyat 83'minutes5Partey34XhakaBooked at 44mins7Saka8ØdegaardSubstituted forSambi Lokongaat 90+3'minutes11Martinelli9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forNketiahat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Tierney14Nketiah16Holding17Cédric Soares19Pépé23Sambi Lokonga24Nelson25Elneny30Turner
Referee:Anthony TaylorAttendance:25,286Match StatsHome TeamCrystal PalaceAway TeamArsenalPossessionHome56%Away44%ShotsHome10Away10Shots on TargetHome2Away2CornersHome3Away5FoulsHome16Away11Live TextPost update
Match ends, Crystal Palace 0, Arsenal 2.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 0, Arsenal 2.
90'+3'Post update
Foul by Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace).
90'+3'Post update
Albert Sambi Lokonga (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90'+3'Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Albert Sambi Lokonga replaces Martin Ødegaard.
87'Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Marc Guéhi.
87'Post update
Attempt blocked. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eddie Nketiah.
86'Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Malcolm Ebiowei replaces Eberechi Eze.
86'Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Will Hughes replaces Jeffrey Schlupp.
85'goalGoal!
Own Goal by Marc Guéhi, Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace 0, Arsenal 2.
85'Post update
Attempt missed. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the left. Assisted by Thomas Partey.
83'Post update
Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
83'Post update
Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
83'Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces Gabriel Jesus.
83'Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Kieran Tierney replaces Oleksandr Zinchenko.
81'Post update
Attempt missed. Jeffrey Schlupp (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jean-Philippe Mateta.
81'Post update
Attempt missed. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Wilfried Zaha with a cross.
81'Post update
Attempt blocked. Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nathaniel Clyne.
78'Post update
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.
78'Post update
Foul by Thomas Partey (Arsenal).
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Source: bbc.com