Arsenal edge to win over Crystal Palace

Arsenal cruised to a straightforward 2-1 win over Crystal Palace despite a lacklustre performance at Selhurst Park.

The hosts created the majority of the chances, with Dwight Gayle, Jason Puncheon, Wilfried Zaha and substitute Yannick Bolasie all wasting good opportunities.

Arsenal’s margin of victory was rather flattering but they had done well to take advantage of their rare openings during a scrappy match.

Santi Cazorla converted a casual eighth-minute penalty after Danny Welbeck had been brought down by Pape Souare; and Olivier Giroud scored in the dying moments of the half, tapping in as Julian Speroni batted away Welbeck’s shot to secure his 50th goal for the club.

Substitute Glenn Murray got a goal back in injury time, scrambling it home by extending a toe, and could easily have scored the equaliser seconds later had his header been an inch to the left – instead it struck the post and bounced out to safety.

7’ PENALTY TO ARSENAL! Justified as well, Welbeck brought down by Souare, who is holding his head in despair.

8’ GOAL! A very casual and relaxed penalty from Santi Cazorla.

45’ GOAL! Giroud taps in nicely as we move into injury time. Lovely work from Welbeck forces Sperni into a save, but Giroud is there for the rebound.

70’ CHANCE! Gayle is getting closer, rising well against Koscielny to head Souare's cross over the bar.

75’ CHANCE! Ospina doesn't move a muscle as Puncheon's free kick whistles past the wall - and past the post.

90’+4 GOAL! Palace finally bundle one home courtesy of Murray. The ball was pinging around and eventually Murray got a toe to the ball and prodded it over the line.

90’+5 SO CLOSE! Murray again with a header, which strikes the bottom of the post!

Olivier Giroud scored his seventh goal against clubs managed by Alan Pardew. During Pardew’s time at Newcastle United, Giroud scored six goals, his personal best tally against any single club in the PL or Ligue 1.

Santi Cazorla’s eighth minute penalty was the quickest spot-kick scored by Arsenal in the division since Emmanuel Adebayor’s successful eighth minute spot-kick in their 3-1 home win versus Portsmouth in Sept 2007.

Santi Cazorla has scored all six of his Premier League penalties to date.

Palace will probably be pointing to a lack of penalties awarded in their favour, and questioning whether the one given to Arsenal was actually in the box. That’ll all be mulled over in glorious slow-motion technicolour.

Santi Cazorla – a cool head in an uneven game.

Crystal Palace – Speroni 6, Ward 6, Delaney 6, Dann 6, Souare 6, Mutch 6, Ledley 7, Puncheon 7, Zaha 7, Gayle 7, Campbell 7. Subs - Hennessey, Hangeland, Kelly, Jedinak, Bolasie 7, Ameobi 5, Murray 7.

Arsenal – Ospina 7, Chambers 6, Mertesacker 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 6, Coquelin 6, Cazorla 7, Welbeck 7, Ozil 6, Alexis 6, Giroud 6. Subs - Szczesny, Gibbs 6, Bellerin, Gabriel Paulista 5, Wilshere, Rosicky 6, Walcott.