3 standout players from the opening night victory over Crystal Palace

The release of the opening day fixtures would have certainly had Arsenal fans concerned.

Selhurst Park is a tough place to play and Crystal Palace are blessed with enough talent at both ends of the pitch to thwart Mikel Arteta’s side. This match last season saw Arsenal lose 3-0 as their season turned for the worse in a brief but decisive period. The game on Friday was a nerve-wracking but enjoyable one as thoughts of previous embarrassing defeats quickly dissipated.

Arsenal were energetic and dynamic, particularly in the opening 35 minutes. The pressing, led by new fan-favourite Gabriel Jesus, was defined by an intensity supporters have suddenly grown accustomed to seeing. Even though the tour in America was impressive, Crystal Palace was a different sort of test with the stakes ramped up. Fortunately, it was one that the Gunners passed with flying colours.

3 standout players from the opening night victory over Crystal Palace

The players on the pitch all put in a shift against Patrick Vieira’s side but a few deserve additional praise. Here are three standout players from the season opener.

3. Ben White

Takehiro Tomiyasu’s arrival last season saw him become a starter far sooner than even the most optimistic of fans would have hoped. Yet his lack of a proper pre-season and the strain of the Premier League were felt much later as the right back succumbed to injury after injury.

This difficult start to his life in London meant alternatives had to be explored. Ben White filled in a handful of times at right-back last season but his absence at centre-back was hard felt as Rob Holding was called upon.

This season, however, William Saliba’s arrival has added depth to the centre of defence, allowing Ben White to suit up on the right and push Cedric down the pecking order. Pre-season saw the English defender perform well out wide but against Palace, he was up against Wilfried Zaha, one of the most dangerous wingers in the league. With the tall order of keeping him quiet, White stuck to his task.

White was positionally sound, shutting down passing lanes early. His height and athleticism served him well in cutting out long switches of play. White’s intelligence was also on display as he stopped Zaha from turning and running at him.

The new right-back also contributed to the build-up, displaying his excellent range of passing. His ability to slot into midfield in offensive phases allows him to keep the structure Arteta wants even when Tomiyasu is out.

There is a level of comfort with this new backline, inspired by not just Saliba, but by the increasingly underrated Ben White. An excellent performance against a tricky opponent.

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