Arsenal Beat Crystal Palace to Get Season Off on Flying Start

• Mikel Arteta's side started the new season on a winning note by beating Crystal Place 2-0 at Selhurst Park on Friday evening
• Gabriel Martinelli and an own goal from Marc Guehi complemented impressive debuts from Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko
• Arteta finally got the better of Patrick Viera, who took four points out of the possible six from Arsenal last season

Arsenal's new signings impressed as they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 to start their new season on a perfect note.

Gabriel Martinelli and Marc Guehi's own goal was enough to give Mikel Arteta's charges all three points on a night that Crystal Palace threatened severally to grab a point.

The attention was, however, on Arsenal's new boys, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zichenko and William Saliba. Saliba was making his first competitive debut performance for Arsenal despite being signed three years ago. He ended up with the man of the match award.

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Jesus started the game brightly and almost got rewarded for his efforts after a mazy run inside Crystal Palace's penalty area. However, his final effort on goal was blocked, and Martinelli failed to score the rebound.

Martinelli quickly made amends after a corner kick was swung into the area to find an unmarked Zinchencko who headed back to the area where Martinelli guided it past a hapless Vicente Guaita in the Crystal goal.

Arsenal continued to be the dominant side, with the hosts only picking up steam in the last five minutes of the first half.

Partick Viera, a former Arsenal captain and now head coach of Crystal Palace, made changes just before the hour mark, bringing in Jean-Phillipe Mateta for the off-colour Odsonne Edouard. Edouard had earlier forced a smart save from Aaron Ramsdale after he failed to guide his diving header past the goalkeeper.

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Eberechi Eze then failed to get the better of Ramsadale in a one-on-one situation after a split pass from Wilfried Zaha. The hosts would later pay for their profligacy in front of goal after Saka's shot was deflected inwards by Marc Guehi to wrap up the three points for the Gunners.

Sergio Aguero thinks Arsenal can challenge for the title

Sports Brief had earlier reported that former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero had termed Arsenal as one of the favourites to win the English Premier League this season.

The new season will get underway tonight when Arsenal travel to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and Aguero has set the ball rolling with a bold prediction.

Aguero thinks that Mikel Arteta has taken time to build a strong team at Arsenal and thus, should be considered on the same wavelength as Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.