Champions Arsenal survived a late scare to secure their 26th win of a brilliant season against Crystal Palace.
Despite making a raft of changes, the Gunners dominated for long spells against a Palace side with one eye on Wednesday night’s Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig. Oliver Glasner will hope key midfielder Adam Wharton is fit after coming on as a substitute and then limping off following a strong challenge from Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Gabriel Jesus put Arsenal in front towards the end of a first half the visitors controlled and Noni Madueke doubled their advantage, firing home after Palace failed to deal with an Arsenal corner.
Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled one back in the final minute and Palace thought they had secured an unlikely point when Yeremy Pino scored in injury-time only for VAR to overrule his effort.
Jesus squanders Arsenal’s best moments
Arsenal almost opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Piero Hincapie’s clearance was mis-controlled by Jefferson Lerma, enabling Jesus to pick up possession and, with few other options, the Brazilian went for goal, curling his effort against the post.
Madueke got to the rebound first but was unable to beat Dean Henderson.
Jesus had another wonderful opportunity six minutes later. Madueke was the architect with a burst through midfield before picking out the former Manchester City striker but his effort was superbly saved by the onrushing Henderson and Nathaniel Clyne completed the clearance.
Palace had spent the opening quarter of an hour on the back foot but then sprung forward and were only denied by a brilliant save from Kepa Arrizabalaga, who pushed out a strong hand to keep out Daniel Munoz’s header from Rio Cardines’ centre.
Arsenal came again and Jesus missed a third opportunity to break the deadlock midway though the half. Madueke curled in a fantastic cross and Jesus got in front of Munoz but could only nod his close-range effort wide.
He didn’t miss a fourth as Arsenal went into the break with a one-goal lead.
A flowing move involving Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel Martinelli and Max Dowman ended with a through ball that Jesus dispatched with aplomb.
Set-piece again, ole, ole for Arsenal
Palace’s route back into the game was hampered further when Arsenal scored again within two minutes of the restart.
Martinelli’s inswinging corner was nodded back across goal by Kai Havertz, who had been introduced at the break, and Madueke swept his shot past Henderson.
A Madueke corner almost resulted in a third for Arsenal but Jorgen Strand Larsen was able to lump the ball clear.
Eberechi Eze was brought on against his former club, as was Mikel Merino following a long spell out in good news for both Arsenal and Spain ahead of the World Cup.
Merino almost made an immediate impact but shot over from close range after good work from Havertz.
The impressive Madueke was withdrawn with eight minutes to go, clutching the back of his leg in a worrying development for England boss Thomas Tuchel.
Palace had offered little but the introduction of Mateta brought life to their forward line and the France striker halved the deficit with a deft header from Pino’s cross.
Pino then sent Selhurst Park into raptures with a snap shot that flew past Arrizabalaga only for the goal to be disallowed after the ball clipped the chest of Evann Guessand, who was in an offside position, before going in.
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