All about Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Preview: Probable line-ups, predictions, tactics, H2H, squad news and key stats

Arsenal will focus on their Premier League title race following their European heartbreak as they host Crystal Palace at the Emirates.

After elimination in the Europa League, Mikel Arteta will be looking for a big response from his Arsenal side against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Sporting CP ousted the Gunners at the Emirates on penalties. Granit Xhaka opened the scoring before Pedro Goncalves’ bold long-range effort leveled the visitors.

The game stretched out and went to extra time, then to penalties. Gabriel Martinelli missed Arsenal’s penalty as the Gunners suffered yet another Europa League exit. After the defeat, Arteta insisted his side now have 11 finals as they can now fully focus on the Premier League title race.
“It’s done now, we can’t think too much about it, we have to keep going and we have a new game on Sunday and we just have to be ready for that now.”

The Gunners were too good for Fulham last weekend, beating their London rivals by three first-half goals. That was their fifth straight league win as they maintained a five-point lead. With Manchester City playing in the FA Cup, a win over Crystal Palace could allow Arsenal to move eight points clear ahead of the next matchday in April. As Arsenal continue their way to the top, Crystal Palace risk being caught up in a relegation battle. As the Eagles struggle for form, they have failed to find their first win of 2023. The search cost Patrick Vieira his job at the helm after Palace sacked the Frenchman on Friday.

Paddy McCarthy, their U21 manager, will temporarily manage the team ahead of their visit to the Emirates. As for Vieira, the streak has been terrible, although many of those games have been tough by their standards. The narrow defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion was the final nail in Vieira’s coffin. The club’s board of directors are hoping for a positive ending to the saga as they are set to appoint a new manager during the international break. The Eagles are 12th but just three points from the danger zone for now. A defeat at Arsenal will put them in the relegation discussion.

Team News & Tactics

Arsenal

Sporting CP’s loss also came at the expense of key personnel. Arsenal have lost Takehiro Tomiyasu to a suspected knee injury and the signs are not good considering he left the Emirates on crutches. Shortly after the Japanese international’s departure, William Saliba limped away with what appeared to be a back problem.

9′-Tomiyasu fell

21′ – Saliba falls

The Frenchman’s injury will be assessed before the match and only then will Mikel Arteta decide. Meanwhile, Eddie Nketiah remains on the back burner after missing the last few games with an ankle problem. He will likely join the squad after the international break.

Otherwise, Arsenal have no more fitness worries and Arteta could return to his preferred starting XI. If Saliba is deemed unfit, Rob Holding is in the best position to replace him. Meanwhile, Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard could return to midfield.
Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka are set to take on Palace while Martinelli completes the top three. Gabriel Jesus could remain on the bench despite starting mid-week while Arteta remains cautious about his full fitness. The Brazilian could become a regular player after the international break.
Probable lineup (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli

Crystal Palace

Paddy McCarthy had positive news regarding the fitness of James McArthur and Will Hughes. The duo has trained, having missed the last two games against Manchester City and Brighton. It will boost Crystal Palace, considering Albert Sambi Lokonga cannot play against Arsenal, his parent club.

With Vicente Guaita a significant doubt again, McCarthy could let 19-year-old Joe Whitworth keep his place between the sticks after an impressive performance against Brighton midweek. Meanwhile, Cheick Doucoure could count himself lucky in that game after escaping a second yellow, as had that happened, he would have been a big miss at the Emirates.

McCarthy could revert to a 4-3-3 attacking style and possibly change their midfield. There should be no new faces to the backline from the Brighton game. But Luka Milivojevic could replace Lokonga in midfield. Doucoure and Jeffrey Schlupp will keep their spots.

Up front, Wilfried Zaha, steadily returning to his usual form, will start on the left-hand side of the attack. Odsonne Edouard could lead the line for Palace, with Michael Olise moving to the right side to replace Jordan Ayew.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Whitworth; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Milivojevic, Doucoure, Schlupp; Olise, Edouard, Zaha

Key Stats

Arsenal have drawn their last three home matches against Crystal Palace in all competitions.

Arsenal have won their last five matches in the Premier League.

Only Arsenal (15) have recovered more points from losing positions this season than Crystal Palace (14).

In the last 12 Premier League meetings between Arsenal and Crystal Palace, the Gunners have scored 21 times, and the Eagles have netted 20.

Crystal Palace are winless in 2023.

Player to Watch

Gabriel Martinelli

Comforting Martinelli after his penalty miss

Many have already positively compared that to Bukayo Saka’s miss at the UEFA Euro 2020 final, with suggestions that Martinelli could bounce back similarly. Arsenal’s top scorer will have a brilliant chance to redeem himself with a stellar performance against Crystal Palace, against whom he scored on the opening matchday.

Prediction

Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace

The big problem for Crystal Palace under Patrick Vieira was their lack of goals. Despite having a host of stellar attackers, the Eagles have found it tough netting chances, and that trend may continue at the Emirates. On the other hand, Arsenal have been in fluid form in the final third, which may hurt Palace.

The Gunners will look for a big response to their midweek disappointment and could probably put Palace to the sword. More than anything, Arteta will be eager for a response and to go eight points clear at the top. Expect Arsenal to take three points and Aaron Ramsdale to keep a clean sheet.