The Arsenal captain slotted home from the spot at the start of the second half after Serge Gnarby had been upended by Adlene Guedioura.
However, the Spanish midfielder was then shown a straight red card when referee Chris Foy deemed he had prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity when he tangled with former Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh some 35 yards out.
Hero to zero: Mikel Arteta scored from the penalty spot but was then sent off as Arsenal had to play the last 25mins with 10 men
Seeing red: Arteta was then sent off for bringing down Marouane Chamakh
Making sure: Olivier Giroud headed a late second to make sure Arsenal secured all three points
Red hot: Giroud scored his eighth of the season after a brilliant cross from Aaron Ramsey
Palace, who parted company with Ian Holloway following the 4-1 home defeat by Fulham, had Keith Millen in caretaker charge.
They rallied when Joel Ward saw his shot tipped against the bar by Wojciech Szczesny, who then produced a wonder-save to deny Mile Jedinak from the corner.
Arsenal, though, secured all three points when Olivier Giroud headed in with three minutes left after a break by Aaron Ramsey down the left.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had opted to start with England midfielder Jack Wilshere, who had been troubled by an ankle problem, on the bench.
Mathieu Flamini, though, returned to the side after missing the midweek Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund as a precaution following concussion.
Crystal Palace caretaker manager Keith Millen brought in centre-back Danny Gabbidon as one of six changes. Kagisho Dikgacoi, Barry Bannan, Jerome Thomas, and Guedioura all came in, while Morocco forward Chamakh led the Eagles attack against his old club.
There was a positive start by Arsenal, with Giroud heading over a cross from right-back Bacary Sagna,
The visitors, though, had to make an early change when Flamini pulled up with what looked like a groin problem and was replaced by Gnabry.
After dropping off for much of the opening 15 minutes, Palace found some energy when Thomas - once on the books at Arsenal - darted down the left and his deep cross was headed over by Bannan.
Cheers: Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker celebrate with Arteta
Man in charge: Keith Millen took charge for Crystal Palace after Ian Holloway left the club earlier this week
Sitting pretty: Arsene Wenger's team are now eight matches without defeat and stay top of the league with the win
Chamakh - sold by Arsenal in the summer - tested Szczesny with a dipping 20-yard effort as the Eagles again looked to take the match to the Premier League leaders, with Bannon's curling cross then just ahead of Damien Delaney.
Santi Cazorla almost had Arsenal in front when the Spaniard spun onto an angled pass through the Palace box and sent a low shot across the face of Julian Speroni's goal.
The Palace goalkeeper then stood up well as Ramsey got in at the near post to drill an angled shot at point blank range.
Arsenal had a penalty claim denied just before half-time when Delaney bundled over Gnabry right on the chalkline. Both referee Foy and his assistant signalled for only a free-kick, which came to nothing.
Strike: Marouane Chamakh takes a shot against his former side
Injury worry: Mathieu Flamini was withdrawn after just eight minutes
There
was no debating a key decision at the start of the second half when
Guedioura cut down Gnarby, and this time all the officials were in no
doubt.
Arteta crashed the penalty past Speroni, into the left corner, to give the leaders some breathing space.
It was almost 2-0 straight away when a clearance from Delaney bounced off Gnarby and just an inch past the post.
Arsenal were reduced to 10 men after 65 minutes. A long ball up field was taken on the chest by Chamakh, who looked to get clear before tussling with Arteta, shoulder to shoulder just inside the Arsenal half.
Arteta crashed the penalty past Speroni, into the left corner, to give the leaders some breathing space.
It was almost 2-0 straight away when a clearance from Delaney bounced off Gnarby and just an inch past the post.
Arsenal were reduced to 10 men after 65 minutes. A long ball up field was taken on the chest by Chamakh, who looked to get clear before tussling with Arteta, shoulder to shoulder just inside the Arsenal half.
On the move: Aaron Ramsey advances with the ball
Sliding in: Barry Bannan tackles Mesut Ozil
The
pair went down in a heap, but that was enough to convince Foy the
Gunners captain had denied his former team-mate a clear goalscoring
opportunity and went for the red card.
Wenger replaced Gnabry with Wilshere as he looked to protect the slender lead before, after 72 minutes, Spain defender Nacho Monreal came on for Cazorla.
Szczesny made two brilliant saves to kept Arsenal ahead when he first touched a thunderous 20-yard effort from Ward against the goal frame and then, from the resulting corner, produced a brilliant one-handed stop to turn over a dipping strike from Jedinak.
Monreal, deployed on the left of midfield, ghosted into the penalty area with some fine close-control, before his shot at the near post was blocked.
Arsenal finally secured three points when Ramsey broke down the left and delayed a chipped pass through for Giroud, who arrived on cue to nod the ball past Speroni.
Wenger replaced Gnabry with Wilshere as he looked to protect the slender lead before, after 72 minutes, Spain defender Nacho Monreal came on for Cazorla.
Szczesny made two brilliant saves to kept Arsenal ahead when he first touched a thunderous 20-yard effort from Ward against the goal frame and then, from the resulting corner, produced a brilliant one-handed stop to turn over a dipping strike from Jedinak.
Monreal, deployed on the left of midfield, ghosted into the penalty area with some fine close-control, before his shot at the near post was blocked.
Arsenal finally secured three points when Ramsey broke down the left and delayed a chipped pass through for Giroud, who arrived on cue to nod the ball past Speroni.
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