Arsenal vs Crystal Palace – Analysis, Prediction, Team News

As part of our weekend Premier League predictions, we take a look at Crystal Palace’s visit to the Emirates Stadium. Palace’s winless streak was extended to 12 in all competitions last weekend. Do they have a chance here? Read on with our Arsenal vs Crystal Palace prediction.

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Match Preview

Arsenal come into this game in great form in the league. They have won their previous five games with a goal difference of fifteen to four and have shown some steel and resolve in the comebacks against Aston Villa and Bournemouth. Their last game was a very comfortable 3-0 win away at Fulham, where they dominated the home side. Goals from Gabriel and Martinelli and a beautiful left-footed finish from Odegaard made all the difference. The match saw three Trossard assists, highlighting that the January purchase from Brighton is settling in well.

There was disappointment in midweek due to the Europa League exit to Sporting on penalties (including a stunning goal from the halfway line by Pedro Goncalves). However, Arsenal will quickly get over this as the league title is by far the priority this season. At home, Arsenal have won ten of their 13 league games and picked up 32 points, so they will be eager to put the midweek elimination behind them. Five points ahead of Man City and with eleven games to go, Arsenal are looking good for their first title in 19 years.

Palace are in disarray, and coach Patrick Vieira was sacked at the end of the week following an eleven-game winless run in the league (the longest of any team this season. This run has put them right near the bottom of the form table. They lost to Brighton in the M23 derby in midweek, and truthfully Brighton toyed with them at times, and it could have been more. They hope that interim coach Paddy McCarthy can oversee a new manager bounce.

On their travels, Palace have won two games this season and picked up ten points. However, their last win of any description came against Bournemouth at the Vitality on Boxing Day. They have only scored nine goals on the road; only two teams (West Ham and Nottingham Forest) have scored fewer. They have a decent recent record against Arsenal – five of the last ten matches have been draws – but given their form, it will take a mammoth effort to get anything in this game. They are only three points above the relegation zone and in big trouble.

Team News

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Lineups (Predicted)

Arsenal (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Zinchenko, Gabriel, Holding, White; Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard; Trossard, Martinelli, Saka

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

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Analysis

Arsenal Will Dominate The Game And Try To Get Down The Wings

Arsenal have averaged 60 per cent possession in the league this season. They are also fourth for passes attempted, with over 13,000. Therefore, with being at home, this match will be a typical team at the top versus a team struggling against relegation encounter. The Gunners will control and dominate the game and look to break down the low block that Palace will likely play in. It should be a good test of coach Mikel Arteta’s credentials – the ability to find gaps in tight spaces is something Arsenal are adept at and should serve them well.

Arsenal will look to Partey to give them the athleticism and energy from deeper to speed up the play. Partey is very good at covering the ground, which gives the players in front of him more freedom and license to attack or be creative. Xhaka will help Partey build the play in midfield, and the Swiss player will also try to get forward from deeper areas.

As always, Odegaard is crucial for Arsenal. He didn’t start in midweek against Sporting, and his absence was notable (though he did come on). He connects the play and makes Arsenal function well. His passes out wide and down the sides for Saka or Trossard are always dangerous and will allow the wingers to attack the Palace full-backs. It will be up to these three to be creative and try to unlock doors that Palace close off.

Martinelli will likely start in the false nine position despite his shootout miss midweek. He must try to interchange with the others and take any chances which come his way, particularly as Jesus is now back from injury and threatens his or Trossard’s place.

Palace Will Play On The Counter

Palace’s problems this year are well documented. With them parting ways with Vieira, they will be looking for a new manager bounce and a shot in the arm. McCarthy will be determined to set his team up in an organised fashion. We see them playing 4-3-3, which becomes 4-5-1 when they don’t have possession (which will be most of the time). Clyne and Mitchell at full-back must beware of the Arsenal threat down the flanks and try to show Saka and Trossard down the line and not allow them to come inside.

Guehi and Andersen must watch for the runs of Martinelli and be mindful of the occasions the wide men make their way inside. They will likely have to do much defending in this game as Palace sit deeper in a compact shape, so they must be alert every moment for balls into the box and runs down the sides of them. In midfield, Lokonga is out, but whatever combination of Palace midfielders play must not allow any gaps for Odegaard or Xhaka between the lines. They must pick moments to press; when they do, they can release the forwards.

Whatever combination of Zaha, Olise and Eze play, all three are talented ball carriers and offer the potential of magic moments (though this has been missing throughout all of 2023). They must try to attack Zinchenko and White or even vacate the space Zinchenko leaves when he goes on his forays forward or infield. These three can give their team some respite by holding the ball up and are a danger on transitions with their pace and dribbling. If they can find gaps in the box, they can get shots off or set up the striker (likely Edouard) with crosses and cutbacks. Perhaps they can take advantage of Saliba being out at centre-back for Arsenal.

Our Prediction

Despite Arsenal’s somewhat disappointing exit from Europe in midweek, they won’t be too upset. The Europa League was always a secondary distraction to their challenge for the league title. In the eleven remaining games, they can entirely focus on winning their first championship since 2004. This game against Palace is the type of routine match they have to win to stave off the chasing Man City (potentially going eight points ahead). It’s a game they will dominate, and a struggling and desperate Palace side will throw themselves in front of everything to try to get a point, or even all three.

However, Arsenal have been excellent at home this season, and we don’t see Palace escaping the Emirates with any result. True, Arsenal have drawn their previous three games with Palace. However, the Arsenal of 2023 seems like a different beast to many teams in their recent past. We expect them to control this game and find a way through, while Palace find it difficult to create anything at the other end. Palace’s last six league games have seen fewer than three goals scored in each, and we predict that stat to continue with a comfortable Arsenal win.

Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Betting Tip – Under 2.5 Goals Odds: