Crystal Palace 2-3 Arsenal
For a wee while football games between two particular clubs in the Premier League had an air of a royal occasion about them.
Many sports betting fans will recall clashes between Manchester United and Newcastle United between 2000 and 2004.
Contests in which two knights of the realm, Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson, held court with each other amid a level of respect too infrequently witnessed in the modern game.
Just perhaps, a new chapter is about to begin entitled a clash of two respected veterans.
Certainly, few football betting aficionados will realise this was the first top-flight match since World War Two where both managers were at least 68.
Roy Hodgson of Crystal Palace is 70 and, over at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger is 68.
For a while it looked as if honours may be shared as well.
Shkodran Mustafi sidefooted Arsenal ahead and, after Julian Speroni’s quick reactions denied Mesut Ozil and the German missed another chance to make it two, former Spurs man Andros Townsend slammed home a leveller after superb work from Wilfried Zaha.
Zaha had arguably been the best player on the pitch up to that point and Ferguson’s final signing at Man Utd – not given a chance by his successor David Moyes – could yet be destined for a move to a bigger club next summer, if not next month.
Someone also destined for a move is Arsenal’s star man and ultimately it was the class of Alexis Sanchez which won the match.
Two goals inside four minutes put Arsenal in the ascendancy, the first a powerful drive, the second world class skill and a deft finish from the Chilean.
James Tomkins headed home from a corner in the closing stages but Arsenal held on.
As Hodgson and Wenger shook hands, it was easy to reflect why both sides are where they are in the table.
Indeed, this 90 minutes encapsulated perfectly many of their strengths and weaknesses.
Whether the fact six Arsenal players started the match wearing gloves is seen as a sign of weakness, I’ll leave you to decide.
Certainly, the gloves are off in the race for a top four spot and Arsenal remain very much in the hunt.
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