Eberechi Eze netted his first Premier League goal for Arsenal against former club Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon, but opted against celebrating
Eberechi Eze demonstrated his loyalty during the celebrations of his first Premier League goal for Arsenal against his former team, Crystal Palace. The England star netted a loose ball from a set-piece just before the interval, giving the Gunners the lead on Sunday afternoon.
Arsenal entered the weekend at the summit of the Premier League table, with reigning champions Liverpool unable to narrow the gap on Saturday evening after suffering a defeat to Brentford.
Arne Slot’s side seemed to be regaining their form after four consecutive losses, having thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League earlier this week. However, a loss at the Gtech Community Stadium indicated that issues still persist.
READ MORE: BREAKING William Saliba going off early for Arsenal sparks injury fear vs Crystal PalaceREAD MORE: Jamie Carragher makes ‘by far’ Arsenal prediction as Premier League title verdict reached
In the wake of their fourth straight league loss, it was crucial for the Gunners to seize the opportunity and after a tense opening 35 minutes without any shots on target, Eze did just that.
After Gabriel Magalhaes contested a Declan Rice free-kick with Maxence Lacroix, Eze expertly fired in a half-volley under pressure from Adam Wharton – which ultimately proved to be the winning goal.
Following such an impressive strike, Eze chose not to celebrate excessively, given his affiliation to the Eagles. He then looked skyward after making a cross sign with his hands, a gesture he typically makes after scoring.
Considering his connections to the opposition, Arteta discussed Eze in the run-up to the match, as well as emphasising the need to improve on last season’s result.
“It’s a big game for us because last season here we dropped some points and it’s the fourth game in a row that we’re going to play against opponents that we drop points and this season we’ve been able to beat them so it focuses on that,” he admitted at a press conference on Friday.
“We know that for Ebz it’s going to be a very special match with the history and what he did for Palace but the focus is on the team.
“There is something in your tummy, obviously,” Arteta added on what it’s like to face old teammates.
“There is history, there are a lot of emotions, there are very close relationships.
“In my opinion, once you step in there and you go with that mindset, you have even more will to win. Because, as well, you made that decision here to be successful and to achieve something else in your career. I’m sure Ebz are going to be ready for that.”
Netting the goal will have provided a massive confidence lift for Eze, who had rather struggled to create an impact during Martin Odegaard’s injury layoff.
The Gunners have been struck by numerous injury setbacks and concerns over recent weeks, with the most recent occurring against Palace when William Saliba was substituted by Cristhian Mosquera.
Declan Rice was later withdrawn for Mikel Merino after receiving treatment from physios and clutching at his right leg. Despite those concerns, Arsenal secured another three points and clean sheet.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.