Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace: Olivier Giroud scores stunner in Gunners win

Olivier Giroud scored a contender for goal of the season as Arsenal started 2017 with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates.

The Frenchman's scorpion-like kick from Alexis Sanchez's cross went in off the underside of the crossbar in the 17th minute to hand the hosts a deserved lead in world-class fashion.

Alex Iwobi doubled the scoreline 11 minutes into the second half, seeing his looping header creep in off Joel Ward.

Arsenal are still nine points behind Chelsea in the race for the title, while Sam Allardyce's Palace remain 17th, two points from safety.

Arsene Wenger made three changes from the side that beat West Brom on Boxing Day, bringing in Nacho Monreal, Mohamed Elneny and Lucas Perez, with Mesut Ozil unwell.

They should have been ahead early on through Giroud, who missed the ball from point-blank range after Monreal's fine first-time ball across the face of goal.

Sanchez struck just wide from 20 yards and Wayne Hennessey saved well from Iwobi, before Giroud more than made up for his early miss.

Starting the attack in midfield with a fine flick, Giroud continued his run into the area as Sanchez moved down the left wing.

Sanchez's cross was slightly behind the striker, but Giroud improvised superbly, flicking the ball from behind him with the backheel of his left foot, crashing in off the crossbar past the dive of Hennessey.

It mirrored Henrikh Mkhitaryan's scorpion-like goal for Manchester United against Sunderland on Boxing Day, with Sky Sports' co-commentator Gary Neville stating Giroud's strike was "one of the best goals" he had ever seen.

The tempo slowed after the goal, but Sanchez should have doubled Arsenal's lead on the stroke of half-time, seeing his effort from eight yards saved by the foot of Hennessey after Martin Kelly's woeful clearance.

Christian Benteke should have done better with a header after the break from Andros Townsend's cross, while Sanchez saw a close-range effort blocked by Scott Dann.

Arsenal got their second after some woeful Palace defending, with Iwobi seeing his looping header fall softly into the net despite the visitors having both Tomkins and Joel Ward on the line.

Ward, who attempted to clear the ball on the line, miscued his header, seeing it come off the crossbar and into the net.

Palace then woke up; Benteke's header was well saved by Petr Cech, and the goalkeeper was then at his best to tip away Cabaye's volley.

Substitute Aaron Ramsey came close late on, striking just wide from outside the area, before Hennessey saved superbly from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's low effort from 12 yards.

Player ratings

Arsenal: Cech (7), Bellerin (7), Gabriel (7), Koscielny (7), Monreal (7), Elneny (7), Xhaka (6), Iwobi (7), Sanchez (7), Lucas (6), Giroud (8)

Subs: Coquelin (6), Ramsey (6), Oxlade-Chamberlain (6)

Crystal Palace: Hennessey (6); Kelly (4), Dann (5), Tomkins (5), Ward (4); Cabaye (5), Flamini (5), Puncheon (5); Townsend (5), Zaha (5); Benteke (4)

Subs: Mutch (5), Lee (5), Campbell (5)

Man of the match: Olivier Giroud