Arsenal will face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park under the lights for the third season running as both teams eye wins.
Roy Hodgson will have a change of mood from last week, when the atmosphere was much more subdued due to the potential departure of Michael Olise. Chelsea activated the forward’s release clause but soon made a U-turn and signed a new four-year deal to stay at Selhurst Park. And Crystal Palace will face Arsenal at home on Monday night.
Having started the season with a narrow win over newcomers Sheffield United, Palace will face a massive test when Selhurst Park hosts Arsenal. For Hodgson, holding on to momentum and churning results when the mood is high is imperative.
😘 https://t.co/F2DE3HcVg9 pic.twitter.com/f3GgBr5Rvz
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 17, 2023
The scoreline against Sheffield does not reflect their performance, which saw Crystal Palace take 24 shots, eight of them on target. If they manage such numbers against Arsenal, there is no stopping the Eagles from securing victory over the north Londoners. Still, the Gunners will pose a more significant threat than a newly-promoted Sheffield United.
Mikel Arteta admitted he would have wanted his team to have better control over games, especially when they had a comfortable lead. Against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates, the Gunners made things nervy for the fans after allowing the opposition to score late and unbalance the game.
However, apart from that strike, the Gunners seemed in control of proceedings, as two first-half goals gave them a base to work with. Eddie Nketiah looked sharp in getting the opening strike away, while Bukayo Saka’s fabulous strike from outside the box gave Arsenal the lead in the opening half.
By playing on Monday night, Arsenal are already playing catch-up to their rivals, especially Manchester City, who secured their second win of the season on Saturday. Arteta will hope for a similar result against Palace at this venue last season and will want to build momentum ahead of some tough fixtures.
Team News & Tactics
Crystal Palace
While Michael Olise has penned a new deal, he will not feature against Arsenal as he recovers from his injury problem. He will have the company of Will Hughes and summer arrival Matheus Franca on the sidelines. Those three are the confirmed absentees for the Arsenal clash, with Hodgson suggesting he will have the same group of players as in the first game.
11. Confirmed.
Matheus França 🇧🇷
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 20, 2023
Hence, there is no reason for Hodgson to shuffle the changes, as he does not have much quality depth to manoeuvre. Marc Guehi had cramps at the end against Sheffield United, but the defender should comfortably feature against Arsenal at Selhurst Park.
Liverpool-linked Cheick Doucoure will continue to feature at the base of Crystal Palace’s midfield, with new arrival Jefferson Lerma forming a double pivot. It allows Jeffrey Schlupp to take up a wing position on the left instead of the departed Wilfried Zaha, with Eberechi Eze in the centre.
Jordan Ayew will start on the right-hand side until Olise returns to fitness, as Palace have no significant alternative to the Frenchman. Things will remain intact unless they move in the transfer window until the winger returns to action.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Lerma, Doucoure; Ayew, Eze, Schlupp; Edouard
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta could name new arrival David Raya on the bench, with Aaron Ramsdale likely to remain the No.1 for the foreseeable future. The win over Nottingham Forest got overshadowed by the severe knee injury to Jurrien Timber, which will keep the Dutchman sidelined for the best part of the campaign.
Inside Training… 🔜 pic.twitter.com/0fAPSu6u45
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 18, 2023
There were positive updates on the fitness of Oleksandr Zinchenko, who featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Luton Town. He could push for a starting spot, although Arteta has options in Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior and Kieran Tierney. We feel the Pole could get the nod, having not featured in the first game.
He could have, had Gabriel Magalhaes started rather than being on the bench until late in the game. The Brazilian will likely return to familiar territory and partner with William Saliba, which could move Ben White back to his customary right-back role.
Thomas Partey and Declan Rice could start in central midfield alongside Martin Odegaard. Hence, there are chances Arteta starts with Kai Havertz as his leading striker ahead of Eddie Nketiah and have Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on either wing.
Probable Lineup – (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Key Stats
- Arsenal have lost only one of their last 6 trips to Selhurst Park.
- Arsenal’s first away fixture has been a London derby in five of the last six Premier League seasons, including 2023/24.
- Arsenal have lost none of their last 12 Premier League London derbies (W10 D2).
- Palace lost four of their five home games last season against London sides.
- Crystal Palace have taken 11 points from a possible 15 in their last five home games at Selhurst Park.
Player to Watch
Bukayo Saka
I’m still in awe of this goal from Bukayo Saka 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Id2gALpBFN
— Met. (@AFCMet) August 14, 2023
Last season, it took Saka time to get going, but he is off the mark in the first outing after a stellar goal against Nottingham Forest. The England winger looked sharp in the game as he had been during pre-season and seemed destined to have another great campaign.
London sides must be somewhat petrified by Saka’s presence, especially Crystal Palace, against who the Arsenal “starboy” forced an own goal in the same fixture last season. At the Emirates game, he scored twice to put them on the sword and expect a similar outing for Saka this time.
Prediction
Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal tend to play like they are 3-0 up when they are 2-0 up, representing a problem we have seen in the last many months. A similar attitude took the game to a nervy end against Nottignham Forest when the visitors got a goal back. Mikel Arteta will hope Arsenal iron out these issues and start playing differently, starting with Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace, starting the campaign with a narrow victory, may face a big test they probably didn’t want at this stage of the season. Much like last season, the Eagles might face defeat against Arsenal but may look at some of their weakness and try to get a goal in return.
