Bukayo Saka double against Palace sends Arsenal 8 points clear

LONDON: Arsenal will head into the international break eight points clear in the Premier League title race after Bukayo Saka scored twice in a 4-1 home defeat of Crystal Palace on Sunday.

With defending champ and chaser Manchester City engaged last weekend in the FA Cup, Arsenal took full advantage as Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring and Granit Xhaka also found the net.

Jeffrey Schlupp got Palace’s first goal in five league games to briefly raise its hopes in the second half, but Arsenal was never going to miss the chance to tighten its grip on the top spot as it chases a first English title in 19 years.

Arsenal’s ninth victory in London derbies this season, a new English league record, took it to 69 points from 28 games with the second-placed City on 61 having played a game fewer.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side bowed out of the Europa League on penalties to Sporting on Thursday but it showed no sign of hangover from that disappointment and a sixth successive Premier League win looked in the bag by half-time with Martinelli opening the scoring from Saka’s pass in the 28th minute.

It was the perfect response by the Brazilian whose penalty miss against Sporting proved so costly in midweek. Saka doubled the lead in the 43rd when he guided home a low shot beyond Palace’s teenaged goalkeeper Joe Whitworth after being played in by Ben White’s pass.

RESULT: Arsenal 4 (G Martinelli 28, B Saka 43 & 74, G Xhaka 55) bt Crystal Palace 1 (J Schlupp 63)