Arsenal clinched top spot with a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace, with Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke's first-half goals proving decisive despite Jean-Philippe Mateta's late consolation.
Arsenal's coronation as Premier League champions was confirmed at Selhurst Park on May 24th. The Gunners arrived in South London already assured of the title, but they showed no signs of complacency against a Palace side fighting to improve their league position.
Crystal Palace began the match with purpose, controlling the early exchanges and forcing Arsenal's defense to stay alert. However, the visitors' superior quality soon emerged. Arsenal dominated possession from the opening moments, dictating the tempo and pinning Palace back into their own half.
Gabriel Jesus broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute. The Brazilian striker finished clinically after Palace's defense failed to clear their lines. Jesus wheeled away in celebration as Arsenal took a deserved lead into the interval.
The second half began explosively for the visitors. Just six minutes after the restart, Noni Madueke doubled Arsenal's advantage in the 48th minute. The winger's composed finish extended the lead and appeared to have settled the contest.
Arsenal's control remained complete throughout the middle stages. Palace struggled to create meaningful chances against a well-organized visiting defense. The hosts managed just three shots on target across the entire 90 minutes.
Palace pulled one back in the 89th minute when Jean-Philippe Mateta, recently introduced from the bench, fired past Arsenal's goalkeeper. The goal provided brief hope for the home crowd, but it came too late to alter the outcome.
Arsenal's dominance was reflected in the statistics. The Gunners recorded 16 total shots with six on target, compared to Palace's eight shots and three on target. Arsenal's expected goals stood at 2.03, while Palace managed just 1.1.
Possession told a similar story. Arsenal controlled 60 percent of the ball and completed 444 passes with 89 percent accuracy. Palace's possession-based approach was limited to 40 percent, though they kept their passing accuracy respectable at 79 percent.
Madueke earned the match's highest rating of 7.7 for his influential performance on the wing. Jesus contributed a rating of 7.2 alongside his crucial opening goal. For Palace, Yéremy Pino and Mateta both impressed in brief spells.
This victory confirmed Arsenal's status as Premier League champions. The Gunners finished with 82 points from 37 matches, maintaining their position at the summit. Palace remain 15th in the standings with 45 points from the same number of games.
Arsenal's title success represents the culmination of a dominant campaign. The visitors will now focus on their final league fixture, while Palace continue their battle for mid-table security.
