Eberechi Eze entered Arsenal’s Premier League on Sunday with the only goal in a 1-0 win against former club Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.
Eberechi Eze has sent a touching message to Crystal Palace supporters who were showered with applause despite scoring the winning goal against Arsenal. On Sunday, Eze scored the only goal of the game as the Gunners won 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
The England international fired into the corner after being knocked down by Gabriel Magalhães after a first-half free-kick. It was his first Premier League goal for Arsenal since joining from Palace for £67.5 million in the summer.
Eze did celebrate, but chose to celebrate in a low-key manner out of respect for the club he spent five years with. He pointed to the sky, thanked God, and fell to his knees.
The match-winner was applauded by both the home fans and the away Palace supporters when he came on as a substitute for Miles Lewis-Skelly in the 88th minute. It was a classy moment for the fans on the road, and Eze praised them enthusiastically after the match.
read more: Mikel Arteta admits he suffered four injuries in Arsenal’s win over Crystal Palaceread more: Arsenal extend their lead at the top, but double injury concerns prevent victory – 5 talking points
“They are a special group of fans and I am grateful for the love and support they have shown me,” he told Sky Sports. “I will be forever grateful to them.”
Eze left Palace on good terms after Arsenal splashed out cash to secure the signing of the player ahead of rivals Tottenham. The 27-year-old currently has two goals and three assists in 11 appearances for the Gunners and was delighted to have achieved his goals in the league, even if it was against Palace.
“It was a good day. I’m happy to score and I want to help the team that way,” he said. “It’s a bit of a mixed day. Crystal Palace, who are 100 percent, are a difficult team to play against. You can see why teams struggle against them.
Up to 60% off Premier League kits and merchandise
various
fanatic
Click here to purchase sale items
Fanatics has taken up to 60% off football kits and merchandise. Until Sunday, fans can find discounted products from Premier League clubs including Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Spurs and more.
“When[the goal]went in, I wanted to thank God and Jesus, but I also wanted to pay my respects[with the celebration]. It was a strange finish. I’m learning a lot here about surviving from set-pieces.”
Mikel Arteta had a different take on Eze’s finish, adjusting well to get his body on top of the ball and fire his shot past Dean Henderson. “The technology is incredible,” he said. “We needed something (special) against a very well-organized team.”
On Match of the Day, he added: “It’s a big win. We knew how difficult it was. The way they set up was a big credit to Crystal Palace. They made it really difficult for us. We found a way to score against a very well-organized team.”
“We couldn’t score the second goal, but if we don’t we’re in danger. They’re a very difficult team. We limited them to just a few goals.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
