These are the "magic moments" that coach Mikel Arteta once mentioned. That is how the Arsenal captain described what Eberechi Eze could bring to the team. And the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace was the day that prediction came true.
If there is one team that understands the 27-year-old's talent better than anyone, it is Palace. Eze's five years at Selhurst Park ended with the decisive goal in last season's FA Cup final.
But this time, they were wrong. Declan Rice took a free kick in the 39th minute, and the ball fell right into the position of Eze - who fired a dangerous volley into the corner of the goal, leaving Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson looking.
Another ironic detail is that Eze also scored a similar goal in the match between Palace and Arsenal last season. That was a 2-2 draw that dealt a heavy blow to Arsenal's Premier League ambitions. 6 months later, Eze scored the decisive goal again, helping Arsenal consolidate their top position in the rankings.
Is this a typical example of the "magic moments" Arteta saw when he spent £67.5m to recruit Eze? After all, he is expected to fill the void caused by the absence of Martin Odegaard.
"He hit the ball the right way he does. Last year, he did the same thing, but it was against us, when he scored directly from a corner kick, the ball went straight into the post.
So he has the ability to do that. We know that when facing a defensive team with many strong players, not giving the opponent any space, the No. 9 striker has to face their best defender.
Sometimes, you have to create chaos or open up space to create big chances. And he kept the ball, and scored very well," Arteta said after the match.
The importance of the star's moments cannot be underestimated, especially in the context of Arsenal pursuing glory in a practical way. They rely on a resilient defensive foundation and the ability to take advantage of the ball finely to cruelly.
Another dead ball situation appeared - almost inevitable. From Palace's perspective, it was a completely avoided situation. Because almost anyone who follows the Premier League knows Arsenal's fear of set pieces. The opponent fouled Bukayo Saka near the penalty area, while he could not continue to move forward, which was an extremely wrong decision.
And Palace's mistake created an opportunity for Eze to shine. He seemed wondering whether to celebrate against his former team or not, and finally chose to celebrate more gently than usual to express his feelings.
"When you give Eberechi Eze a free kick opportunity on the edge of the box, it's usually a goal. Last year, we benefited from situations like this," said Palace manager Oliver Glasner, his voice was a bit regretful.
What happened after that accurately reflects the familiar scenario. Arsenal defended strongly, but their biggest threat still came from crosses into the box, especially corners.
Despite scoring the goal that cost his former team, Eze still received applause from Crystal Palace fans. Perhaps he has not really exploded in the Arsenal shirt, as Eze's performance - apart from that goal - is still quite lackluster.
However, Eze's contribution has highlighted the value of adding depth to the squad that the "Gunners" have implemented in this summer's transfer window.
