It wasn’t by any means a convincing victory for Arsenal, but you have to give them some credit the way they responded after conceding that equaliser. They survived five minutes of sustained pressure from Palace, and then Sanchez and Wilshere showed their class. Those two were the best players on the pitch. In the post-match interview, Wilshere just said regarding his contract situation: “I’m sure we will get it done. I have to speak to the boss.”

Lots of running, lots of energy, but apart from Zaha, Palace lacked composure with the ball. On this evidence, they will survive the drop, but only if Zaha is a Palace player by 1 February.

Thanks for reading, and for your emails and tweets. See you next time. Cheers!

That’s it! Excellent match, that. Arsenal now one point behind Liverpool in fourth, Palace remain 16th.

90+4 min: Arsenal clear the corner, but a beautiful reverse pass from Zaha releases Townsend, who crosses … to nobody. Ozil calmly flicks it round Fosu-Mensah, and Arsenal break on the counter-attack.

90+3 min: Zaha darts down the left flank, Chambers actually does very well to tackle him, and Palace have a corner!

90+2 min: Palace can’t get the ball back. Arsenal currently camped near their own corner flag. Throw in to Arsenal.

90+1 min: Arsenal win a corner. Sanchez will take his time.

90 min: Four minutes added on here.

A simple header straight from the corner. Arsenal were defending zonally, and with no player on either post. Tomkins simply jumped higher than anyone else and nodded it past Cech. Game on!

View image in fullscreen

89 min: Schlupp gets free on the left, cuts the ball back to Sako but Koscielny does brilliantly to get a toe on it, with the ball skewing just wide for a corner.

88 min: Arsenal bring on a sub: Xhaka does not go off permanently, for Maitland-Niles.

86 min: Arsenal inviting pressure now, and they’re not coping particularly well. First Zaha flashes a low cross across the six yard box, well cleared by Kolasinac, then Sako crashes a powerful shot over the bar. Arsenal were screaming for a handball against the Malian, but Michael Oliver waved play on.

84 min: Golden chance for Zaha. Sako sends a glorious cross to the back post, Zaha gets ahead of Bellerin but heads wide from six yards out! Replays show that Zaha only connected with his shoulder, looks like Bellerin just did enough to put him off.

82 min: A strange one. Xhaka slips on the turf, goes down in a heap and it looks for all the world like he has pulled a hamstring or a groin. He even limps off with the help of the Arsenal physio. Then, a minute later, he runs back on the pitch as though nothing happened.

80 min: Zaha really is Palace’s only hope at this point. He’s quick and direct and tries to go around the outside of Mustafi, but the German is equal to the winger, and gets the block in. Palace make their final change: Kelly off, Fosu-Mensah on.

79 min: Palace’s players look knackered. Especially Milivojevic, who hasn’t been able to deal with Wilshere all night. Arsenal popping the ball about without any pressure.

77 min: Re Zaha debate …

“Are there any except Zaha who’d make the match day squads of any of the six?” asks Geoff Wignall. “On that basis I’d say he’s the best.”

75 min: Sanchez has moved to a more central role, now that Lacazette has departed.

74 min: Arsenal make their first substitute: Coquelin on for Lacazette. This is a good change as far as Arsenal are concerned. The game is won as it stands, they need to make sure they don’t ship a silly goal and let Palace get their momentum back.

72 min: Very impressed with Sanchez’s application tonight. Always has the quality to impress but doesn’t always look as hungry as he has done tonight. Has won the ball back at least three times.

71 min: Palace make their second change: Sako for Loftus-Cheek.

70 min: Palace have lost their way here slightly after such a promising start to this half. Kolasinac breaks free down the left, cuts the ball back to Ozil who is free on the edge of the box, but the ball is just behind the German and he spoons it well over.

68 min: This is Wilshere’s fourth successive start for Arsenal, his best run in the side in four years. Amazing what confidence does.

1-3 Wilshere has time on the half-way line and drops a sumptuous pass on a dime for Sanchez, who breaks the offside trap, takes the ball down on his thigh and rolls the ball past Speroni with his second touch. Three simple wonderful touches from Arsenal there. What a pass from Wilshere, Sanchez didn’t have to break stride. I would say the Englishman has been Arsenal’s best player tonight.

View image in fullscreen

View image in fullscreen

Sanchez scores his second in four minutes!

View image in fullscreen

1-2 Lacazette beats Tomkins to a high ball (5ft9in!), the ball drops to Sanchez and he lashes the ball in from 12 yards. One would think Speroni wouldn’t be beaten there, and he should have better, but it was struck so fiercely, and actually went through Tomkins’s legs.

Speroni beaten at his near post!

View image in fullscreen

60 min: Arsenal finally beginning to get a foothold in this second half. Wilshere has calmed things down a bit and the crowd have got quieter.

59 min: Discuss. Mahrez? Bolasie? (when fit?)

57 min: Xhaka is looking all at sea in midfield. But then, Arsenal don’t have a wealth of options on the bench. Coquelin maybe?

55 min: Palace have made a change: Cabaye off, McArthur on. I think that’s a tactical switch, rather than an injury.

53 min: Serious lack of game management here from Arsenal. They need a leader here to get their foot on the ball. Instead, it’s panic stations with wild hacks upfield. Palace come roaring back. First Loftus Cheek gets the wrong side of Chambers and has his shot blocked by Koscielny. Next Schlupp fires a low shot into the side netting. It’s all Palace.

52 min: Arsenal are rocking, as Palace spring forward again on the counter attack. Somehow, Zaha gets one-on-one with Mustafi but the German does well to slide tackle the ball out for a throw in.

51 min: Zaha is very good at football.

View image in fullscreen

Right in front of the Palace ultras, Zaha gets one on one with Chambers, lollipops right, goes left to the byline and cuts the ball back perfectly to Townsend, who is completely unmarked on the penalty spot and sidefoots in. Cech didn’t move!

View image in fullscreen

47 min: Really slick start from Arsenal, everything is one-touch. Palace look desperately short of numbers in midfield. Sanchez has time on the left to get his head up and pick a beautiful cross to Bellerin at the back post. Loftus-Cheek doesn’t track him properly but rather than volley the cross in first time, Bellerin takes a touch and ball gets away from him, well smothered by Speroni.

46 min: Sanchez starts the second half with a rabona pass to Kolasinac. Lovely stuff.

Peeeeeep! We’re underway again in south London.

If you haven’t already read Daniel Taylor’s exclusive interview with Rhian Brewster, do.

Arsenal could easily have scored three in that half. Wilshere, Sanchez and Ozil are running the show.

45 min: One minute added on. It’s been a good half of football.

43 min: I’ve been impressed with Bellerin, too. No standout moments, but he’s done well to keep Zaha half-quiet, and shown some neat touches going forward on the overlap.