Arsenal overcame Takehiro Tomiyasu’s red card to maintain their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Monday.
Arsenal’s second-half penalty at Selhurst Park put them on course for their second consecutive victory.
However, Mikel Arteta’s team had to dig deep to keep the points as Japan defender Tomiyasu was controversially sent out midway through the second half for a second yellow card.
Before being dismissed for making slight contact on Jordan Ayew, Tomiyasu had been booked for taking too long over a throw-in.
Arteta will be pleased with the way Arsenal refused to give up their lead, moving up to third position on goal difference, behind leaders Brighton and second-placed Manchester City.
Following last season’s late collapse that handed the trophy to City, the north Londoners look ready for the fight after building on their opening weekend success against Nottingham Forest.
While they haven’t played their best football yet, this might be a crucial step toward their first title since 2004.
Last season, Arsenal had the best away record in the Premier League, with a division-high 10 clean sheets.
Arteta’s men looked like road warriors once more as they rejected Palace’s late onslaught.
With new goalkeeper David Raya among the Arsenal substitutes following his loan move from Brentford, the attention was on Aaron Ramsdale, who is fighting for his England international berth.
From the moment he turned away Eberechi Eze’s long-range shot in the early minutes, Ramsdale rose to the occasion with a strong performance.
Ice-Cool Odegaard
Arteta used Thomas Partey at right-back with the freedom to connect up play from his normal midfield role, mimicking City boss Pep Guardiola’s technique of asking a defender to go forward anytime they had possession.
This allowed Arsenal to control possession, but Eddie Nketiah, who was filling in for the injured Gabriel Jesus, failed to capitalize on their first-half pressure.
When he nimbly turned away Joachim Andersen, the 24-year-old scuffed his effort against the far post with only Sam Johnstone to beat.
Palace were denied a penalty after William Saliba’s sliding tackle on Ayew was ignored by VAR.
Nketiah was profligate again when he chipped over from just six yards after Declan Rice picked out the unmarked forward.
Arsenal kept their composure and Odegaard’s fierce 25-yard strike forced a superb tip over from Johnstone.
Odegaard would not be denied again, scoring from the penalty spot in the 54th minute to reward Arsenal’s dominance.
Gabriel Martinelli’s fast free-kick woke Palace up, and Nketiah circled Johnstone before being upended by the goalie, who had been sent out by Odegaard’s ice-cold penalty.
When Partey’s shot from the edge of the box was saved by Johnstone, it appeared that Arsenal would glide to victory.
In the 67th minute, though, Palace were offered a ray of hope when Tomiyasu was brutally ejected for a small push on Ayew that was not reviewed by VAR under the rules regulating second yellow cards.
Palace’s frustration mounted when Eze went down under contact from Partey but saw his penalty claim rejected.
In a tense finale, Odsonne Edouard had Palace’s best chance to equalise when he headed wide from Tyrick Mitchell’s cross.
Mitchell also squandered an opportunity, blazing over from six yards as Arsenal held firm.