LONDON: Gabriel Martinelli led Arsenal to the first three points of the Premier League season in a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

Martinelli headed home a cross from new signing Oleksandr Zinchenko after 20 minutes at Selhurst Park.

Palace took most of the first half to adapt to the visitors’ tempo but once they did Odsonne Edouard forced Aaron Ramsdale into a save after Joachim Andersen’s header found him in the six-yard box.

Buoyed by a vibrant home crowd, the Eagles poured forward in search of a leveller but it was Arsenal who found the net again, Marc Guehi inadvertently heading Bukayo Saka’s fierce cross into his own goal late on.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: “I have had this feeling for the first few weeks since the boys started pre-season. They are ready, they look hungry, with that mentality that they really want to win.

“The team came here to play the way we wanted to play – we were dominant, we were a threat, we were really lively and sharp from the beginning. Then when we felt under pressure we coped with that with resilience.”

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