Our 3️⃣ points as Arsenal thrash a sorry Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Arsenal moved up to third in the Premier League courtesy of a five-goal dismantling of Crystal Palace.

Here is what we made of events in north London.

Gunners’ reboot goes exactly to plan

Much was made of Arsenal’s planned warm-weather training camp in Dubai during their portion of the Premier League’s winter break.

Mikel Arteta declared his players “fully recharged” after their trip to the Gulf state on the back of a chastening FA Cup third-round exit to Liverpool.

To see his charges swat aside a sorry Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon with such ease suggests the Spaniard’s confidence was well-placed.

Five goals without reply tells its own story but the Gunners were increasingly a far cry from the team that could not buy a win in its previous four outings.

Cliché as it sounds, the break really did come at the right time for the north Londoners and this comprehensive derby victory is comprehensive proof.

Hodgson officially on the brink

Roy Hodgson probably already knew that he stood on the brink after this result but Crystal Palace’s fans still chose to spell it out for him.

Banners lamenting ‘wasted potential’ and ‘weak decisions’ were unfurled in the away section before their hosts inflicted a further two goals in added time.

They remained there after the final whistle, too, as English football’s elder statesman gazed forlornly from his position in the Emirates Stadium’s technical area.

Relations between the Eagles’ fanbase and Hodgson have gradually deteriorated even before this week’s meek FA Cup loss at Everton and Saturday’s humiliation.

The threat of backsliding into a relegation battle is not going away; leaving chairman Steve Parish with a difficult decision to make on the 76-year-old’s immediate future.

Trossard finally breaks the cycle

Leandro Trossard’s Arsenal career has been underscored by his exclusive goal scoring partnership with Bukayo Saka.

Before Saturday, each of his seven strikes for Arteta’s side have been assisted entirely by the reigning England Player of the Year.

But Trossard’s “Starboy” alliance was finally broken as another Gunners player stepped up to lay on his strike for the club’s third goal.

Gabriel Jesus reprised the role previously occupied by Saka to send the Belgium international racing clear before cutting inside and sweeping home.

It has taken 45 games for Trossard to break the repetition cycle in north London but it might finally unlock the floodgates for him.