Mood lifted as Arsenal show no mercy after relying on usual strengths to hammer Crystal Palace

After three defeats on the spin, this was just what the doctor ordered as Arsenal got back on track with a thumping win over Crystal Palace.

Mikel Arteta had admitted the Gunners could not afford to slip up again if they want to stay in the title race.

With that in mind, this clash against Crystal Palace was all about Arsenal getting three points - and in the end, they did so in style.

The win moves them up to third in the Premier League and two points off leaders Liverpool, who travel to Bournemouth on Sunday.

This was Arsenal’s first game since January 7, when they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Liverpool, and it will have lifted some of the doom and gloom around Emirates Stadium.

For so long it looked like a performance that would not live long in the memory, but Arsenal put Palace to the sword late on after relying on their usual strengths this season early on.

No one has scored more set-piece goals than the Gunners and they added two more here before half-time.

Clearly their break in Dubai has allowed them to work on them even more and Gabriel’s opener came courtesy of a Declan Rice corner, which was something new.

The Brazilian thought he had a second when he headed home Bukayo Saka’s corner, but it went down as an own-goal by Eagles goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

As good as Arsenal were for their two-goal lead, they had not really carved Palace open. Instead, the Eagles’ back-three was proving a tough nut to crack and the Gunners were having to be patient.

When Arteta’s side did finally open them up, it was no surprise that it came on the counter.

Goalkeeper David Raya, who had one of his best games in an Arsenal shirt, claimed a corner and his quick throw set Gabriel Jesus on his way. The Brazilian picked out Leandro Trossard and, after missing a great chance minutes earlier, he made no mistake.

Trossard had been given the nod to start over Martinelli and it clearly lit a fire under Gabriel Martinelli, who came off the bench to score twice. Both of the goals came late on as Palace crumbled but, pleasingly for Arteta, his side showed no mercy.

Martinelli twice cooly found the bottom corner and, after one goal in three games, Arsenal suddenly had two in a matter of minutes. Palace, in contrast, had no answers and nowhere to hide.