London: Alexis Sanchez scored twice in four second half minutes to give Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger victory Thursday, the night he equalled Alex Ferguson’s Premier League record of matches in charge with a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace.
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Sanchez’s brace – the second a beauty from Jack Wilshere’s superb pass – added to Shkodran Mustafi’s first ever away goal for the Gunners was just enough to get them past the Eagles in Wenger’s 810th Premier League game as manager.
James Tomkins’s 89th minute header – Andros Townsend had drawn Palace level at 1-1 early in the second half before Sanchez’s scoring burst – ensured a nervy finish, but the Gunners deserved to run out winners and end Palace’s eight-game unbeaten run.
Arsenal with the win drew level with fourth-placed north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur but with a worse goal difference whilst Palace remain firmly embroiled in a battle against relegation just a point above the bottom three.
Palace were able to apply some pressure during the opening stages, the closest they came to testing Petr Cech came when Yohan Cabaye shot narrowly wide from 20 yards out.
Wenger’s side gradually took charge and they forced the breakthrough in the 24th minute. A loose ball from Mesut Ozil’s free-kick was picked up by Alexandre Lacazette who drew a good save from Julian Speroni, only for the ball to fall to Mustafi who finished neatly with a first time shot.
Wilfried Zaha was Palace’s most threatening player and early into the second half, he dribbled past Callum Chambers before pulling the ball back towards Townsend who struck with a a first time shot.
At that point Palace were in the ascendancy but Sanchez’s quick double soon killed off the home side’s hopes. The first came after Chambers played a deep ball into the home penalty area that was controlled by Sanchez who then drilled the ball past Speroni. His second came four minutes later to give the Gunners a 3-1 lead.
Agence France-Presse
