Arsenal news: The Gunners are hoping to welcome a number of players back from March internationals ahead of the final ten games of the season
Arsenal will be hoping the international break doesn’t bring another blow to Mikel Arteta’s side this week. The Gunners have suspended their Premier League title charge to allow the final round of international matches of this season to be played ahead of a busy end to the season.
From the beginning of April, the North Londoners face ten opponents before the end of the season. The 4-1 win over Crystal Palace extended their lead over Manchester City to eight points at the top – despite Pep Guardiola’s side being one game short.
Arsenal suffered a significant number of injuries throughout the season. Gabriel Jesus has missed almost 100 days of action after sustaining an internal ligament injury at the World Cup – missing 15 games.
Mohamed Elneny has also been out since January with a knee injury and will be out for the rest of the season. Most recently, right-back Takehrio Tomiyasu underwent surgery as he joined Elneny on the touchline.
Arteta hopes a similar story won’t repeat itself with four other players. William Saliba and Eddie Nketiah – who both missed out on winning Palace – will look to use the two-week break to give themselves a chance to come back. Salbia was forced out of the Europa League defeat to Sporting CP with a back problem and subsequently retired from the France international. Nketiah, who has been out since early March, will be out for a “few weeks” and hopes to return as soon as possible.
For Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Jesus, the goal is to rebuild their fitness after a time-out. Jesus has come off the bench in his last two league games and will remain at London Colney during the international break to give himself the best chance to start against Leeds.
Smith Rowe, who has taken a few hits all season, is hoping to pick up valuable minutes for the England under-21s. The Hale Ender has been a constant figure off the bench over the past month, but has struggled to get back into shape after such a long spell.
The Gunners welcome Leeds to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday 1 April before facing Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea in April. Arteta desperately needs to have many of his players available for the period that marked the history of the season.
Do you think Arsenal will be back from the international breake looking stronger than ever? Leave your comments…
Also read…
How Arsenal extended their Premier League lead with a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace courtesy of Saka’s brace
Kick-off!
1′ Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace
Palace get the ball rolling and we’re underway!
The atmosphere at the Emirates is electric.
OBJECTIVE! Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace – Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal fans sing Vieira song
2′ Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal fans are singing their old song for Patrick Vieira, two days after his sacking by Palace.
Zinchenko releases Martinelli
9′ Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace
Zinchenko makes a great tackle winning a throw-in and immediately uses the opportunity to release Martinelli down the left wing. He gets into the Palace box but can’t find Trossard with his pass.
Martinelli has the look of a player who wants to atone for his missed penalty against Sporting on Thursday.
Arsenal attacking in waves
17′ Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal are setting into the game and dominating possession at the moment. Palace’s defence is holding steady as they look for opportunities to counter-attack.
Edouard breaks free when an opportunity does come, but sees Ramsdale save his shot with the flag going up for offside in any regard.
Break in play
21′ Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace
Play is held up for a few minutes as Mitchell receives some treatment.
Trossard unhappy
25′ Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace
For the second time in as many minutes, Trossard can’t believe he’s been whistled for a foul. The second came as Olise did a fantastic job to chase Trossard down and end a dangerous-looing break.
GOAL! Arsenal in front!
28′ Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Martinelli scores and immediately atones for his missed penalty on Thursday!
The moves begins with White winning the ball back from Zaha. He feeds Saka who whips the ball across Palace’s box, where Martinelli takes a touch or two and beats Whitworth with a powerful shot.
32′ – Slight injury concerns for the hosts as Xhaka overstretches and lands awkwardly from a tackle.
He looks like a knee problem, but he will try to continue playing.
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
34′ – It’s all Arsenal now and they’re camped in the Palace half. They always thought the first goal would count in this case and the Gunners could score a few more here.
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
36′ – Free-kick for the hosts 40 yards from goal after Olise brought down Zinchenko.
Xhaka and the Ukrainian are done.
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
37′ – Arsenal attempt a move on the training ground which ends with Guehi clearing the ball for a corner which Saka will deliver from the right…
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
38′ – The corner widens but the guests don’t come out and it’s relentless pressure now.
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Bukayo Saka (10G 10A) became the first Arsenal player to record both double-digit goals and assists in a Premier League season since Alexis Sánchez in 2016/17; He is the only player to do that in competition this season. Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
40′ – The Gunners’ most brilliant play when White finds Saka and catches Odegaard who shoots past the nearest post from 14 yards.
OBJECTIVE! Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace Bukayo Saka
43′ – AND IT’S A FANTASTIC GOAL!
Again, he comes in to the right as White Saka slides into him, who has his marker off, to take a touch and slide a nice finish into the far corner.
And it’s a long way to Palace!
Crook: “Saka was sensational in this first half.”
Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace
45’+ – Three minutes of added time in the Emirates.
Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace – INTERMEDIATE
There’s the half-time whistle and the Gunners are in full control!
Goals from Saka and Martinelli put Arsenal ahead and will be eight points ahead of Premier League top Manchester City barring a spectacular collapse.
However, things could have turned out differently if Zaha or Edouard had jumped at their chance. Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace
47′ – Another great play from Saka as he speeds past Mitchell and drives a cross into the area cleared by Ward, but it’s all arsenal here.
Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace
49′ – Milivojevic pushes Xhaka to the ground as Palace struggle to get close to Arsenal in this second half.
They are chasing shadows at this point and there are more goals for the hosts.
Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace
53′ – Zaha stabs Ramsdale’s gloves!
It’s better from the Eagles as they patiently build up from behind and pass Zaha.
He takes a throw-in and fires from a tight angle which Ramsdale flips over the bar before the hosts clear the resulting corner.
OBJECTIVE! Arsenal 3-0 Crystal Palace – Granite Xhaka
55′ – ARSENAL PLAYS RIDICULOUS FOOTBALL!
It’s a fine move as the hosts play a series of passes down the pitch before Trossard fires a fine ball through the Palace defense for Xhaka.
He still has a long way to go, but manages to squeeze a shot past Whitworth.
Crook: “Xhaka can’t stop scoring!”
Arsenal 3-0 Crystal Palace
62′ – White receives a huge hug from Xhaka who first stops Zaha with a great tackle and then comes back and saves Mitchell’s cross.
Here comes the corner…
OBJECTIVE! Arsenal 3-1 Crystal Palace Jeffrey Schlupp
63′ – OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH, IT COMES BACK!
The hook from the left hits the Palace man before dropping perfectly for him to shoot past Ramsdale from six yards.
It was a terrible defense and, after a quick VAR check for handball, the goal is set. Arsenal 3-1 Crystal Palace
68′ – Jesus and Zinchenko go to Tierney and Trossard.
And Edouard and Milivojevic have been replaced by Ayew and Hughes.
73′ Arsenal 3-1 Crystal Palace
Ramsdale was understandably unhappy when Arsenal conceded Schlupp’s goal.
The goalkeeper was reportedly particularly keen to keep a clean sheet today after Goncalves came close to scoring from midfield for Sporting CP on Thursday.
AIM! Arsenal’s three-goal lead restored!
74′ Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace
Tierney puts a nice ball into the box where Saka hits it for the first time to drive it home at the near post. VAR checks Jesus for possible offside as he was ahead of Whitworth, but the goal is there!
Double Saka
79′ Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace
As good as he has been this season, this is only the second time in all competitions that Saka has scored more goals in one game, having scored twice against Liverpool at the Emirates on 9 October.
Kiwior makes PL debut for Arsenal
86′ Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace
Odegaard puts a shot almost into the top corner.
Arteta makes his final substitution as Kiwior comes on for his Premier League debut, replacing Gabriel in central defence.
Career highlights for Saka
88′ Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace
With two goals today, Bukayo Saka has scored thirteen goals in all competitions this season, including twelve in the Premier League.
Both totals are now the highest in a single career campaign. Recovery time
90+1 Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace
Here, four minutes are added to the end of the game.