Arsenal suffered a rare league home defeat after Crystal Palace proved their credentials against yet another big-six side.
Arsenal could have made it ten consecutive league wins at the Emirates, instead, they were battered by a visiting Crystal Palace side, who have done their fair share of damage to other big six sides this season. Christian Benteke decided it would happen against Arsenal that he’d end his incredible 19-game goal drought, and Shkodran Mustafi was at the center of everything that the Gunners did wrong.
Mustafi was widely criticised for his role in the first two Crystal Palace goals scored by Benteke and Wilfred Zaha, although Arsenal need to take collective blame for failing to deal with set-pieces in yet another game. Mesut Ozil equalized just when the second half started, although Zaha and later James McArthur’s strike rendered that useless, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s solo goal was a mere consolation.
Twitter was on hand to react in the quirkiest of ways, and while most of the anger and dismay was directed at Mustafi, there were also strong words for Emery when it came to his choice of players in the lineup. Emery was criticized here for his selection, given this was a must-win game. Additionally, there was the chance to leapfrog Spurs into third and open up a decent gap over Manchester United who lost in a big way to Everton earlier.
Starting with Arsenal’s evening, Twittersphere had plenty to talk about.
Emery has earned a lot of praise this season, but for the second time in two weeks, he must take the blame. Mustafi’s errors are unforgivable, but going into a must win game with Jenkinson and Mavropanos, and Guendouzi and Elneny in midfield is disgraceful. #ARSCRY
— Olanrewaju Olumoh (@latobilng) April 21, 2019
#ARSCRY is that short for Arsenal cry?
— Mark Toleman (@marktoleman) April 21, 2019
Shame on Unai Emery for letting us down with his selection. What a waste of opportunity to go third…#mustafi poor, Guendouzi pathetic. Sad! #ARSCRY
— lebo82 (@cnatembea) April 21, 2019
Stop messing around with team selection. Did Emery think it would be easy playing at home? Teams from lower half of PL table playing for survival – please treat ALL teams with respect. GET RID of Mustafi – play a donkey if you have to – won't notice difference. #ARSCRY #Arsenal
— Sportslicious (@sportslicious) April 21, 2019
Talk on Mustafi became the forefront of any conversation about Arsenal, and fans did not spare the German, for they felt he was solely responsible for the three dropped points. One user even posted a compilation of ‘Mustafi moments’ to justify the criticism.
Mustafi compilation at Arsenal. Guy is a real ?#ARSCRY pic.twitter.com/yPg4bwPPba
— Frankie Ifop (@frankieifop) April 21, 2019
Arsenal is suffering from a cancer called Mustafi.#ARSCRY
— Dayot Upamecano ?? (@_iam_thieuf_XIV) April 21, 2019
How does #Mustafi have a #WorldCup winners' medal and #Messi and #CR7 dont?!!!
— Psychodiya0916 (@Psychodiya0916) April 21, 2019
Is there a single word in English for the despair you feel as Arsenal fan when you see #Mustafi is starting? pic.twitter.com/QFWsioWUVm
— Stevey Gee AFC (@steveygAFC) April 21, 2019
Awful, arrogant decision to play Elneny, Guendouzi and Jenkinson in the same side against a dangerous team. Then there's #mustafi, why oh why, I just want to understand…. #ARSCRY
— Ben Lover (@benlover1983) April 21, 2019
#ARSCRY #Arsenal #Mustafi pic.twitter.com/XJltS89plp
— stevers (@stevers20264816) April 21, 2019
Actual freeze frame of Mustafi trying to old off Zaha for the goal today #ARSCRY #mustafi pic.twitter.com/JIHcPT4cKY
— CoachBurnsFat (@WilkoCoach) April 21, 2019
I just wish this fool called MUSTABLUNDER could practice what he's trying to tell others in the picture below?
He even had the audacity to try put the blame on Bernd Leno for Zaha's goal??… Shame on you #Mustafi#ARSCRY #mustafiout pic.twitter.com/PKrCrdqNj6
— TalkUrMind (@ur_talk) April 21, 2019
Wenger knew that when he spent 35m on Mustafi his successor was going to have an impossible job #ARSENAL pic.twitter.com/QkVL8oR33O
— Kwikky's left foot (@fit_kwik_) April 21, 2019
Give Leno two great defenders and watch his clean sheets, you give Mustafi to a world class keeper he will make him look like s*** ! #SellMustafi #Arsenal
— ? (@msleeplessagain) April 21, 2019