Arsenal welcomes managerless Crystal Palace to the Emirates Stadium for Sunday afternoon’s Premier League London derby.
Team Form
Arsenal
Despite their team’s disappointing exit from the continental competition, some Arsenal fans have taken a positive outlook and viewed it as a “blessing in disguise.”
However, this sentiment is not shared by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who is focused on his team’s current Premier League campaign.
Arsenal’s recent form in the Premier League has been impressive, with five consecutive wins, including a comfortable 3-0 victory over Fulham last weekend.
The team has scored at least three goals in four of their previous five league matches, and Arteta has urged his players to bounce back from their European disappointment and continue their impressive domestic form.
Arsenal PL Form: W W W W W
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace’s decision to part ways with Patrick Vieira and his coaching staff on St Patrick’s Day didn’t go unnoticed, as social media was filled with witty remarks about the coincidence. The former Arsenal captain had overseen a disappointing run of 12 winless games for the Eagles, leading to his dismissal.
Palace’s latest defeat came at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, where a Solly March goal condemned them to a 1-0 loss. Despite the defeat, Palace managed to snap their run of three consecutive Premier League games without a shot on target, which was a small consolation for their frustrated fans.
The South London club has yet to taste victory since their win against Bournemouth on New Year’s Eve, and their away form has been worse, with four losses and a draw in their last five away games.
Crystal Palace PL Form: D D L L L
Squad Report
Arsenal
Arsenal faced a setback in their Europa League match against Sporting when both Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba were forced off due to injuries in the first half.
Tomiyasu suffered a knee injury, which has left manager Mikel Arteta worried that it could be a severe issue. The extent of Saliba’s back injury is still unclear, and the severity of his injury is yet to be determined.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace’s interim coach Ray McCarthy faces a selection headache ahead of their clash against Arsenal, with loanee Albert Sambi Lokonga ineligible to play against his parent club.
However, the return of Will Hughes and James McArthur from their recent illnesses could soften the blow for the Eagles.
Palace is also dealing with a goalkeeper crisis, with Sam Johnstone and Vicente Guaita being injured. This could see 19-year-old academy graduate Joe Whitworth make his second consecutive Premier League start in goal.
Furthermore, Nathan Ferguson is still building up his match fitness, leaving McCarthy with limited defence options.
Arsenal’s predicted starting lineup:
Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Crystal Palace’s predicted starting lineup:
Whitworth; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Hughes, Doucoure, Schlupp; Olise, Edouard, Zaha
Head to Head
In the past, Arsenal and Crystal Palace have faced each other 52 times, with the Gunners coming out on top in 30 of those matches, while they have lost only six times.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Sunday, March 19
Time: 02:00 pm, GMT
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
Prediction
Despite the recent injury concerns and fatigue issues, Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta had a few key players on the bench in their midweek match, which shows he has plenty of options.
Hence, we don’t anticipate any surprises from the Gunners as they aim to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
