LONDON
\nArsenal shrugged off Takehiro Tomiyasu\u2019s red card to extend their perfect start to the Premier League season as Martin Odegaard sealed a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace on Monday.
\nOdegaard\u2019s second-half penalty at Selhurst Park put Arsenal on course for their second successive win.
\nBut Mikel Arteta\u2019s side had to dig deep to preserve the points after Japan defender Tomiyasu was controversially sent off for a second yellow card midway through the second half.
\nTomiyasu had been booked for taking too long over a throw-in before his dismissal for making minimal contact on Jordan Ayew.
\nArteta was delighted with the way Arsenal refused to surrender their lead as they moved up to third place, behind leaders Brighton and second-placed Manchester City on goal difference.
\n\u201cGreat win. I\u2019m so happy. To play 30 minutes away from home with 10 men is extremely difficult,\u201d Arteta said.
\n\u201cSome players were suffering physically. The subs were magnificent, they knew what they had to do.
\n\u201cToday we had a difficult one, we overcame it and it will make us better.\u201d
\nFrustrated by Tomiyasu\u2019s first booking for time-wasting, Arteta added: \u201cThis is the standard. I think it was eight seconds. We might have to play with a stop watch.\u201d
\nExpected to mount a sustained title challenge following last season\u2019s late collapse that gifted the trophy to City, the north Londoners look up for the fight after building on their opening weekend win against Nottingham Forest.
\nWhile they haven\u2019t played their most fluent football yet, this could prove a significant building block in their bid for a first title since 2004.
\nArsenal had the best away record in the top flight last season and registered a division-best 10 clean sheets on their travels.
\nArteta\u2019s men looked like road warriors again as they repelled Palace\u2019s late flurry of pressure.
\nWith new goalkeeper David Raya among the Arsenal substitutes after his loan move from Brentford, the spotlight was on Aaron Ramsdale as the England international fights to hold onto his place.
\nRamsdale rose to the challenge with a confident display from the moment he turned away Eberechi Eze\u2019s long-range strike in the early stages.
\nEmulating City boss Pep Guardiola\u2019s tactic of instructing a defender to advance forward whenever they have possession, Arteta deployed Thomas Partey at right-back with a license to link up play from his preferred midfield role.
\nThat allowed Arsenal to dominate possession but Eddie Nketiah, deputising for the injured Gabriel Jesus, failed to make their first-half pressure pay off.
\nThe 24-year-old wasted a good chance when he nimbly turned away Joachim Andersen, only to scuff his shot against the far post with just Sam Johnstone to beat.
\nPalace were denied a penalty after William Saliba\u2019s sliding tackle on Ayew was ignored by VAR.
\nNketiah was profligate again when he chipped over from just six yards after Declan Rice picked out the unmarked forward.
\nArsenal kept their composure and Odegaard\u2019s fierce 25-yard strike forced a superb tip over from Johnstone.
\nOdegaard wouldn\u2019t be denied again as the Norwegian netted from the spot in the 54th minute to reward Arsenal\u2019s dominant display.
\nGabriel Martinelli\u2019s quick free-kick caught Palace dozing and Nketiah rounded Johnstone before being upended by the keeper, who was sent the wrong way by Odegaard\u2019s ice-cool penalty.
\nWhen Partey\u2019s blast from the edge of the area was slapped over by Johnstone, it looked like Arsenal would cruise to victory.
\nBut Palace were given a glimmer of hope in the 67th minute as Tomiyasu was harshly dismissed for a slight push on Ayew that was not reviewed by VAR under rules governing second yellow cards.
\nPalace\u2019s frustration mounted when Eze went down under contact from Partey but saw his penalty claim rejected.
\nIn a tense finale, Odsonne Edouard had Palace\u2019s best chance to equalise when he headed wide from Tyrick Mitchell\u2019s cross.
\nMitchell also squandered an opportunity, blazing over from six yards as Arsenal held firm<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LONDON Arsenal shrugged off Takehiro Tomiyasu\u2019s red card to extend their perfect start to the Premier League season as Martin Odegaard sealed a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace on Monday. Odegaard\u2019s second-half penalty at Selhurst Park put Arsenal on course for their second successive win. But Mikel Arteta\u2019s side had to dig deep to preserve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":351083,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-351076","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n