Arsenal’s strong rebound against Crystal Palace almost puts a smile on Arsene Wenger’s dial

Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal’s gritty 2-1 win against Crystal Palace will prove a significant moment in the Premier League title race.

Wenger’s side could ill-afford another setback after their embarrassing opening day meltdown against West Ham and they rose to the challenge at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

Still haunted by last season’s spluttering start, which he regards as the root cause of their failed title bid, Wenger was desperate to avoid being cast adrift of early pace-setters Manchester City because he feared the damage to his players’ morale would be fatal.

Although they were still someway short of their best, the Gunners did enough to subdue a dangerous Palace outfit with a composed performance, prompting Wenger to hail the result as a huge moment in his club’s season even at this early stage.

“We have shown a strong response. We have shown aspects of our game that are important in the Premier League,” Wenger said.

“When Palace came back to 1-1 we were tested after what happened last weekend. It was important to see how we responded because this is a difficult place to come to. I’m sure they will beat many strong teams.

“It was a bit scary when we missed those chances. We are used to being punished after that which makes the three points more important.

“To get the points is already a bit of turning point because to lose would have been a big blow mentally.”