It's all smiles at Selhurst as Palace salute history-maker Glasner and champs Arsenal soak up the happy vibes
- By Yann Tear at Selhurst Park
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Premier League
Crystal Palace (0) 1 Mateta 89
Arsenal (1) 2 Jesus 42, Madueke 48
Arsenal closed out their champagne league season with another win, but his was never going to be a hugely significant afternoon on the pitch - it was all about celebratory vibes and send-offs.
Two teams heading to central Europe for finals - the Eagles in Leipzig to play Rayo Vallecano, Arsenal off to Budapest to take on PSG in the Champions League finals.
The Gunners fans have been pretty much partying non stop since Tuesday night when Man City's draw at Bournemouth confirmed them as champions. They were here to drink-in the post-match trophy lift and to hail their heroes.
Palace had the joy of knowing there was not going to be any real heat on them - apart from the summer temperatures enveloping Selhurst and everywhere else this bank holiday weekend.
They were here to wave their team off, watch the hand out of player of the year awards and to give a collective thanks to Oliver Glasner - the man who took them to previously unscaled heights as silverware winners.
The Austrian could rotate to his heart's content without incurring the wrath of Man City now the title race was over and he handed a debut to midfielder Rio Cardines as part of the plan to keep things low key.
Mikel Arteta gave Kepa Arrizabalaga a rare start - his first since the ill-fated Carabao cup final - while Chris Norgaard, Gabi Jesus and Max Dowman also made starts.
Jesus, who had a storming game here last season, scoring twice in a 5-1 win, hit a post early on for the Premier League winners and should have scored when put clean though by Noni Madueke - Dean Henderson making a great smothering save.
But he eventually got it right, racing through onto a nicely-weighted pass from fellow countryman Martinelli and his low shot was too potent for Henderson, who got a hand to it but not with enough strength to keep it out.
New boy Cardines floated up a great cross for Daniel Munoz to meet with a diving header that had Kepa stretching to turn aside but Palace chances were rare.
Half pace they may have been, but Arsenal had the extra guile and despite three half-time changes for the Eagles, the Gunners doubled their lead when Kai Havertz - on for a sadly out of sorts Norgaard - nodded a deep corner back towards the D and Madueke's left foot volley found the bottom corner.
Adam Wharton and Yeremy Pino were two of those brought on and they combined well to set up Jorgen Strand Larsen for a rising shot just over the top.
But Wharton's participation was brief as he took a knock and soon had to be replaced. The hope must be that it is not serious enough to be of concern ahead of Leipzig.
Jean Philippe Mateta came off the bench late on to glance in a Pino cross and as the game moved into injury time, Pino himself crashed in what looked like an unexpected equaliser - only for an offside flag to rescue the Gunners as the shot came off the chest of Evann Guessand.
Eberechi Eze received a very warm reception from the fans who used to adore him and almost crowned his cameo as a sub with a goal at the death - hitting a fine low cross from Viktor Gyokeres straight into Henderson.
The final footnote did not matter. Champions Arsenal and their delirious fans could enjoy that winning feeling and the moment they have waited for 22 years to savour - lifting that Premier League trophy.
Eagles: (3-4-2-1) Henderson - Clyne, Lerma, Riad - Munoz, Kamada (Wharton h/t) (Guessand 62), Hughes, Cardines - Sarr (Pino h/t), Devenny - Strand Larsen (Mateta 77)
Gunners: (4-2-3-1) Kepa - Zubimendi, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori (Gabriel h/t) - Norgaard (Havertz h/t), Lewis-Skelly - Madueke (Gyokeres 83), Dowman (Merino 62), Gabriel - Jesus (Eze 75)
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