Bukayo Saka Scores Twice As Arsenal Thrash Crystal Palace To Go EIGHT Points Clear Of Manchester City
Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace
Arsenal will spend the next 18 days eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after beating Crystal Palace in the final game before the international break.
Bukayo Saka scored two goals and assisted another as Arsenal bounced back from their midweek Europa League exit by thrashing Palace 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium.
Saka has now recorded 13 goals and 10 assists in the EPL this season. He is the only player in the league to be in double digits in both categories.
Bukayo Saka pictured celebrating one of his two goals during Arsenal's 4-1 win over Crystal Palace
IMAGO/Pro Sports Images/Simon Traylen
The Gunners started shakily against Palace, who were playing without a permanent manager after Patrick Vieira's firing on Friday. Wilfried Zaha hit the post as the home side came under early pressure.
But Arsenal clicked into gear and took the lead on 28 minutes when Gabriel Martinelli scored his 13th goal of the season after being set up by Saka.
Saka scored Arsenal's second himself with a precise low finish two minutes before half-time.
Granit Xhaka then made it 3-0 from Leandro Trossard's sixth assist in his last five EPL games.
Jeffrey Schlupp ended Palace's seven-hour goal drought with a scrappy strike from a corner in the 63rd minute.
But any hope of a Palace comeback was extinguished 16 minutes from full-time when substitute Kieran Tierney teed up Saka for his second goal of the day.
Arsenal now have 69 points from 28 matches. City have 61 from 27.
City's goal difference (+42) is now only two superior to Arsenal's (+40).
