Mikel Arteta was keen to stress how ‘early’ it was in the season and brushed off claims that Arsenal had taken a giant step towards the title following his side’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

Eberechi Eze came back to haunt his former team with the only goal of the game at the Emirates, which once again came from a trademark Arsenal set-piece.

Gabriel Magalhaes and Bukayo Saka both came close to doubling the hosts’ advantage in the second period, but Eze’s stunning 39th-minute strike ultimately proved the difference.

Possible injuries to William Saliba, Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Martinelli put a slight dampener on an otherwise productive weekend for the Gunners, in which Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all suffered defeats.

The result means the north London

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