Martin Odegaard’s penalty seals a nervy win for 10-man Arsenal against Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal (Odegaard pen 54′, Tomiyasu red card 67′)

SELHURST PARK — Arsenal maintained their 100 per cent winning start to the Premier League season by scraping a narrow win against Crystal Palace with Martin Odegaard the match-winner from the penalty spot.

With Manchester City taking maximum points from their opening two games, the Gunners had no margin for error even at this early stage. You don’t want to be giving the treble winners a headstart in a title race.

Despite controlling the game for large periods, they ended up hanging on after Takehiro Tomiyasu’s red card midway through the second half offered Palace renewed hope. Arsenal ended the game with four centre-backs, a full-back, three defensive midfielders and none of Odegaard, Eddie Nketiah, Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli on the pitch.

Up until then, Mikel Arteta’s side had been largely comfortable, taking the lead shortly after half-time through their captain after Nketiah had been sent sprawling by Sam Johnstone.

Nketiah had been the game’s main protagonist even before that point, making himself a nuisance but squandering two presentable first-half opportunities.

He was unfortunate with the first, creating the chance for himself by brilliantly rolling Joachim Andersen to wriggle into space before cushioning a side-footed finish onto the foot of the post, but the second was wasteful, an ambitious dink that floated over the bar.

Declan Rice created it with a cute pass after a surging run and was visibly frustrated with the casualness of it, looking up to the sky in anguished displeasure. Odegaard also fired an effort on goal with Johnstone palming it over the top.

Palace created openings of their own, though, perhaps encouraged by Arsenal’s makeshift back four.

Gabriel Magalhaes missed only nine minutes of Premier League football for Arsenal last season but was once again left on the bench with Ben White and William Saliba selected at centre-back.

The Brazilian has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad recently. It is a curious situation, though, not least because Arteta’s back four in south London contained last season’s right-back in the middle, a central midfielder in his place, and another natural right-back on the left.

Odsonne Edouard had a good early opportunity but was unable to sort his feet out, before Eberechi Eze drew the game’s first save from Aaron Ramsdale, selected ahead of new recruit David Raya.

A momentary lapse of concentration from the otherwise flawless Saliba almost allowed Jordan Ayew a free run at goal, but the chance was denied almost as soon as it was granted as the Frenchman sprinted back into position to dispossess him with an immaculately timed sliding tackle.

But Arsenal began the second half positively and soon went in front. Martinelli’s clever free-kick found Nketiah who nudged the ball away from the onrushing Johnstone.

Palace’s complaints that Marc Guehi had been fouled by Thomas Partey were rebuffed and Odegaard made no mistake from the spot, sending Johnstone the wrong way and finding the bottom corner.

Partey brought another save from the Palace keeper after being teed up by Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz skewed a volley wide from an awkward angle.

But with just one goal separating them, Palace were always in the game and a red card for Tomiyasu for two yellows gave the players and crowd a lift. It will go down as an early contender for the softest red card of the season, with Tomiyasu booked for time-wasting and then for a tug of Ayew’s shirt that looked unintentional.

A game that Arsenal had been in control of suddenly became uncertain. Gabriel was immediately thrust on in place of Martinelli, Jorginho following shortly after for Nketiah. Eze thought he had won a penalty after tumbling over Partey’s outstretched leg, but pounded the pitch in frustration when the decision he wanted did not come.

But despite having over 80 per cent possession from Tomiyasu’s red card onwards, Palace struggled to break through Arsenal’s low block, Tyrick Mitchell having the best chance to equalise but lashing a shot high into the stands in added time.