Arsenal surged eight factors clear on the high of the Premier League as Bukayo Saka’s brace impressed a 4-1 rout of Crystal Palace on Sunday. Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring within the first half on the Emirates Stadium to place the leaders on target for a sixth successive league victory. It was redemption for Martinelli, whose missed penalty condemned Arsenal to Europa League final 16 defeat of their shoot-out towards Sporting Lisbon on Thursday. Mikel Arteta‘s aspect wanted simply 45 minutes towards struggling Palace to erase the bitter style of that loss. Saka adopted Martinelli’s objective by doubling Arsenal’s lead earlier than half-time.

Granit Xhaka netted the third after the interval and Jeff Schlupp‘s reply was no comfort because the influential Saka’s second capped Arsenal’s fashionable show.

Arsenal now have a considerable eight-point lead over second positioned Manchester City, who took the weekend off from Premier League obligation to thrash Burnley within the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.

With a sport in hand on Arsenal and an important conflict with the Gunners looming on April 26, Pep Guardiola’s champions will nonetheless imagine they will win a fifth title in six seasons.

But heading into the worldwide break, Arsenal have ensured the destiny of the title race will likely be of their fingers within the remaining 10 video games.

“I’m really pleased with the way we reacted after the Sporting game. We showed a lot of determination,” Arteta mentioned.

“It feels very good, especially with the way we have played and the results we have picked up.

“The need and power impressed me. They should come again from the worldwide break with the identical mindset they’d earlier than.”

Arteta reserved special praise for Saka, who is the first player to reach at least 10 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League this season.

“The complete workforce did very well however Bukayo was actually good immediately, affecting the outcome along with his contribution,” he said.

“That is what we’d like. We want our entrance gamers firing and making the distinction and immediately they did that once more.”

After surrendering top spot with a defeat against City in February, Arsenal have responded impressively, showing a maturity and composure far beyond the Gunners’ teams that routinely underachieved in recent years.

Arteta deserves immense credit for transforming a side that blew their top four place last season.

Less than a year later, Arsenal, the first English side ever to win nine London derbies in a single season, have the look of champions elect.

Arteta had labelled the Palace clash as the most important match of his managerial career and his players once again rose to the challenge.

They had the ideal opponents in a Palace team now without a win in their 13 matches in 2023 and reeling from Friday’s sacking of boss Patrick Vieira.

Vieira was a key member of the last title-winning Arsenal side 19 years ago and Gunners fans chanted his name throughout the game.

Arsenal made the breakthrough in the 28th minute when Saka wriggled free in the penalty area to collect Ben White’s pass and pulled his cross back to Martinelli.

The Brazilian forward took a clever touch to elude Joel Ward before driving a clinical finish past Joe Whitworth from 12 yards for his sixth goal in his last eight appearances.

Saka ensured Arsenal’s relentless pressure paid dividends again in the 43rd minute.

He played the ball back to White and his return pass was perfectly weighted for the England forward, who planted a cool finish into the far corner from close-range.

Arsenal were rampant and Xhaka put the result beyond doubt in the 55th minute.

A sumptuous exchange of passes around the Palace area left the visitors bewildered before Xhaka applied a deft finishing touch to Leandro Trossard’s through-ball.

Schlupp stabbed in Palace’s first league goal in nearly seven hours after Arsenal failed to clear a 63rd minute corner.

But Saka had the last word with his 13th goal this season, a fine first-time finish from Kieran Tierney’s 74th minute pass.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)