Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal side look “hungry” after getting their campaign off to the perfect start with victory over Crystal Palace in an entertaining 2022-23 Premier League curtain-raiser at Selhurst Park.
The Gunners maintained their impressive pre-season form with an energetic performance that was rewarded when Gabriel Martinelli nodded in a 20th-minute opener from new signing Oleksandr Zinchenko’s headed assist.
It took Palace 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.
“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,” Arteta told Match of the Day.
Credit: bbc.com
