Published: August 16, 2015 

By STEVE BARNETT at Selhurst Park 



Premier League 

CRYSTAL PALACE 1, ARSENAL 2 



ARSENE Wenger praised the immediate impact Alexis Sanchez made to his Arsenal to after being left "scared" by his side's win at Selhurst Park this afternoon (Sunday). 

The Gunners bounced back from their opening-day defeat to West Ham with a hard-fought victory at Crystal Palace.

Afterwards a relieved Wenger said: "It was a bit scary to look at the chances we missed – you thought we would be punished after that but we dug in and hung on in the last 10 minutes. That is important in a season.

"Sanchez has only had two weeks of training but still he had the mental resources to help today. We know it's not a 100 per cent fit Sanchez, but a 100 per cent motivated Sanchez – and that at times can be enough."



Sanchez replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in Wenger's starting line up and quickly sparked the team into life, having three shots blocked in the first 15 minutes. 



It was Olivier Giroud, however, who got the opener on 16 minutes, and in spectacular style. Mesut Ozil's cross was played just behind the Frenchman, but he somehow still managed to scissor kick a shot passed unexpected Palace goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. 



The Gunners lead lasted all of 12 minutes before Joel Ward's driven shot from outside the box sent the hosts in level at the break. 



Connor Wickham should have given Palace the lead within minutes of the restart only to hit the post with the goal at his mercy. 



It proved costly as on 55 minutes Damian Delaney sliced a Sanchez header into his own net to score what proved to be the winner. 



Jordon Mutch also almost inadvertently found the back of the net, although this time at the right end. The ball struck his head and just went over from a corner, while Petr Cech did well to hold on to a late header from Ward in a frantic finish.



ARSENAL: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin (Oxlade-Chamberlain, 64), Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil (Gibbs, 83), Sanchez (Arteta, 75), Giroud 

Substitutes not used: Ospina, Debuchy, Gabriel, Walcott 

Attendance: 24,732