Bukayo Saka scored two and assisted another as Arsenal eased past Crystal Palace 4-1 on Sunday to move eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners were knocked out of the Europa League by Sporting CP on Thursday but showed no signs of a hangover against London rivals Palace without a manager.
Gabriel Martinelli’s 13th league goal of the season gave Arsenal the lead at the Emirates Stadium and Saka, who set up that opener, added a second before half-time.
Granit Xhaka put the game out of reach for Palace, who pulled one back through Jeffrey Schlupp before Saka’s second secured a sixth league win in a row.
Arsenal survived an early scare when Schlupp played on Wilfried Zaha, who cut himself on the right foot, and fired a low shot that hit the post in Palace’s lively opener.
Joe Whitworth denied Saka at the other end but the young keeper couldn’t get a hand to Martinelli’s impressive drilled shot across goal into the bottom right corner.
Saka doubled Arsenal’s lead shortly before half-time when he exchanged passes with Ben White and coolly pulled the ball away from Whitworth.
Palace were further ahead 10 minutes into the second half after Xhaka’s finish was lost by Leandro Trossard.
Schlupp’s strike from six yards after Arsenal failed to deal with a corner may have delighted the away fans, but Saka’s crisp first-time finish secured a routine win.
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