Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal: Player Ratings as Gunners win on Opening Night

Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal: Player ratings as Gunners win on opening night

Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Martinelli (L) celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal in the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park in south London on August 5, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Arsenal prevailed on the opening night of the 2022/23 Premier League season as they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 away from home.

The Gunners started excellently and Gabriel Martinelli should’ve given the visitors the lead in the opening five minutes but he dragged his effort wide. The Brazilian swiftly atoned, however, as he nodded home from the second phase of a corner.

Palace grew into the contest just before half-time, though, and they were the better side for much of the second half with Aaron Ramsdale making a couple of big saves to preserve Arsenal’s advantage.

The Gunners would double their lead in the closing stages against the run of play after Marc Guehi turned Bukayo Saka’s cross into his own net.

That handed all three points to Mikel Arteta’s side, and here are the Arsenal player ratings from Friday night’s victory.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

My word, he’s good. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – 7/10 – Made two huge stops to deny Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze, but he lacked composure in possession.

Ben White (RB) – 5.5/10 – Started well against Wilfried Zaha but the Ivorian eventually did get the better of White and he was booked as a result. Made a few sloppy errors in possession as well.

William Saliba (CB) – 9/10 – Special. To perform like that, in an environment like Selhurst Park, on your Premier League debut was nothing short of incredible. Wow.

Gabriel (CB) – 6/10 – Aggressive but occasionally looked a little flustered, especially when Palace went long. He certainly didn’t replicate the dominant yet controlled display of his partner.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (LB) – 6.5/10 – Brilliant in the first half as he registered his first Gunners assist. However, his physical and athletic drawbacks manifested in the second period.