Arsenal held to 2-2 draw by visiting Crystal Palace

Arsenal were held to an eventful 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as VAR denied the home side what would have been a late winner.

Arsenal took a 2-0 lead within nine minutes when centre-backs Papastathopoulos Sokratis and David Luiz got on the scoresheet just 106 seconds apart from two corner-kicks delivered by Nicolas Pepe.

Referee Martin Atkinson then booked Wilfried Zaha for what he perceived to be a dive in the Arsenal penalty kick box from a Calum Chambers challenge.

But VAR intervened and ruled it a penalty kick, which was put away by midfielder Luka Milivojevic.

Crystal Palace started the second half the stronger of the two sides and seven minutes after the restart, Jordan Ayew levelled the score.

He scored with a header at the far post from a James McArthur cross.

Arsenal manager Unai Emery then withdrew Granit Xhaka, who was booed by the home supporters and the incensed skipper took off his shirt and stormed down the tunnel.

Sokratis managed to pounce yet again on a corner-kick late in the game to make it 3-2 but VAR overruled the goal for a foul in the build-up from Chambers.

The development left both sides to share the points.