Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 2-0 to top EPL table

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scores twice as Arsenal record a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace that takes them back to the top of the Premier League table

London: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored twice as Arsenal recorded a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace last night that took them back to the top of the Premier League table.


Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (right) shoots to score against Crystal Palace last night. Pic/AFP 

Making his first league start since the season's opening day, Oxlade-Chamberlain scored both goals in the second half to send Arsenal two points above Manchester City, who host third-place Chelsea on tonight.

The result got Arsene Wenger's side back to winning ways after the 2-2 draw at Southampton that cost them top spot, while Palace were left one place above the relegation zone after a first defeat in three league games.

In the 47th minute, former Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh allowed Oxlade-Chamberlain to run into the box behind him and when the scheming Santi Cazorla picked out the England man with a dinked pass, he coolly lifted the ball over 'keeper Julian Speroni.

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was quickly called into action at the other end, saving a header from Cameron Jerome, but Oxlade-Chamberlain's second goal in the 73rd minute settled the game.

The powerful 20-year-old, nicknamed 'The Ox', played a slick one-two with Olivier Giroud before cutting into the Palace box from the left and letting fly with a low drive that Speroni could not keep out.

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