Arsenal’s first setback of the summer arrived in Dublin, where a flat display ended in a 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in preseason.

The match began poorly for Arsenal and never really recovered. Kepa Arrizabalaga, under renewed scrutiny amid talk that he may not remain at the club for the full summer, endured a difficult evening as Betis took control. His role in the opening goal was costly, with the goalkeeper coming for a corner, misjudging the delivery and leaving Riquelme with a simple finish at the far post. Kepa then struggled again when Arsenal’s opponents scored their second, with a poor clearance handing back possession before Deossa struck powerfully from the edge of the area.

Piero Hincapié did briefly give Arsenal some hope when he converted from a corner supplied by new arrival Christos Tzolis, but Pablo Fornals restored Betis’ two-goal advantage just before half-time. By that stage, Arsenal had already been exposed far too often.

Mikel Arteta made widespread changes after the interval and gave several younger players an opportunity to impress, yet Arsenal never looked like mounting a meaningful comeback. With Declan Rice, Martín Zubimendi and Martin Ødegaard absent after their World Cup involvement, the midfield was reshuffled and looked vulnerable throughout. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri were used deeper, while Kai Havertz played further forward, but the structure lacked control and intensity.

The first half was especially poor. Betis countered with ease, Arsenal conceded three times before the break, and the defensive protection in front of the back four was nowhere near strong enough. Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, both hoping to strengthen their claims for bigger roles, did not do enough to shift that picture.

There was also frustration for Louie Copley, who lasted only 11 minutes before injury ended his afternoon. The 19-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Crawley Town, went off in visible discomfort after catching his studs in the turf and appeared to twist his knee.

Arsenal will not be overreacting, but the performance offered reminders that plenty of first-team players are still missing, including Raya, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke.

Arsenal began preseason with a 4-1 win over Girona, and the performance reflected the balance, quality and depth that Mikel Arteta now has available. The contest was disrupted later by substitutions, but before that point Arsenal had already taken control and made the stronger impression.

Girona briefly found a route back into the game after the interval when Arnau Martínez won in the air from a corner. Arsenal answered quickly. Dowman restored the two-goal advantage with a sharp finish into the bottom corner, and Gabriel Jesus then converted after a Ben White recovery to make it 4-1 in the 55th minute. From there, the match became more fractured, though the outcome had been settled in all but name.

Dowman stood out as Arsenal’s most dangerous player. He continually looked capable of producing something decisive, and that feeling proved justified. In one early move he dropped into midfield, received the ball, turned away from his marker with a strong first touch and played a perfectly weighted pass that put Havertz through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. When Girona scored, Dowman responded by taking the ball in the right half-space, cutting inside and driving a shot into the bottom corner. His creativity and finishing were both evident, but so was his understanding of when to release the ball, when to keep possession moving and when to beat a man.

Tzolis also offered encouraging signs in his Arsenal debut. The left winger, signed from Club Brugge, held the width on the left and worked within Arteta’s positional structure. His first goal for the club came after Ricardo Calafiori found him in space inside the box, and he finished after a slight deflection. He is still imperfect, especially on his weak foot, but he ended the game with the joint-most touches in the opposition box.

The back line was equally notable. With Jurriën Timber, Gabriel and William Saliba absent, Arsenal still fielded Ben White, Piero Hincapié, Christian Mosquera and Ricardo Calafiori. Girona managed only two shots in the first half, both from outside the box and off target. Ethan Nwaneri, back from Marseille, completed all 26 of his passes but had limited impact in the final third.

Arsenal closed the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in a match that felt like a deliberate exercise in squad management. Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring in the 42nd minute after Gabriel Martinelli toe-poked the ball to him; Jesus broke past Jefferson Lerma and placed his near-post drive just beyond Dean Henderson.

Three minutes into the second half Noni Madueke added a second when he side-footed a volley from Martinelli’s corner to make it 2-0. Madueke was the most consistent attacking threat on the night and produced the game’s busiest offensive performance. Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled one back with a late header flick in the 89th minute, and Palace thought they had an equaliser in stoppage time only for it to be ruled offside.

Both clubs clearly prioritised upcoming fixtures. Arsenal had already secured the Premier League title and rested several regulars. Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, David Raya, Declan Rice and Gabriel were omitted from the starting lineup. The former three did not train on Thursday and each had individual programmes; Saliba and Raya were not called up. Gabriel entered as a second-half substitute.

Crystal Palace are also focused on the near future, preparing for the Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday. The two sides used heavily rotated squads and a subdued tempo, with an emphasis on protecting fitness ahead of their cup finals.

Substitutions had impact: Kai Havertz, introduced at half-time, set up the Madueke goal shortly after coming on. Eberechi Eze received a standing ovation from the home fans when he entered. Madueke later suffered an apparent left leg issue and was replaced by Victor Gyökeres.

Match metrics underline Arsenal’s control: 61% possession to Palace’s 39%, expected goals 2.56 to 1.11, 17 total shots to 8, seven shots on target to three, and a pass accuracy of 89% versus 79%. The result completed a low-risk finish to the league campaign as both clubs now turn attention to major cup finals.