Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: 4 Talking Points

We’re in for another London derby tonight, ladies and gentlemen. Arsenal vs Crystal Palace takes place in a couple of hours and it looks a bit ominous for the Eagles. You have to go back to the beginning of the year if you’re trying to remember Arsenal’s last loss. If Real Madrid got their behinds handed to them twice, what chance does mid-table Palace stand? But perhaps that’s just the motivation Oliver Glasner’s men need to pull off an upset.   

No Motivation

Theoretically, Crystal Palace will have little drive to play for a win against Arsenal. There’s no trophy for finishing top 10 in the English Premier League. The Eagles are in no danger of being relegated, perched 20 points above Ipswich Town. The three points, if they grab them, will be more for pride than anything. Pride of beating one of the strongest Arsenal sides in recent times away from home. And the pride of leapfrogging Brentford into 11th place. 

Having said that, some players with personal ambitions may want to put their best foot forward in this game. Jean-Philippe Mateta has had one of his better seasons at Selhurst Park and has attracted the attention of a few clubs. Manchester United were told to stack up $53 million if they want his signature. Solid displays toward the end of the season can help him and other want-away players attract more deep-pocketed suitors. And bargain for heftier perks.      

Champions League semi-finals

Arsenal will also struggle to pump themselves up for this encounter. They have no chance of surmounting the 13-point difference between them and champions-in-waiting Liverpool FC. The only thing a win will accomplish is to force the Reds to put their Moet on ice for one more week and ensure third-place Manchester City doesn’t harbor any hopes of catching up.

That being the case, there were murmurs that Coach Mikel Arteta would rest his key pieces for this game. He would need them fresh and well-rested for next week’s date with PSG. But the Gunners boss prefers to use the Palace game as a training session for the first leg of the UCL tie. Arsenal fans, especially those holding tickets to this game, will welcome the decision.   

Will injuries Be a Factor?

Arteta has had to do without the services of the two Brazilian Gabriels, Italians Riccardo Calafiori and Jorginho as well as Kai Havertz for a long time. Bukayo Saka only returned two games ago. Has it stopped the Gunners from crushing the likes of PSV and Real Madrid in the Champions League? Has it stopped them from cementing the second spot in the EPL standings? No.

If anything, those absentees have allowed Arteta to bring in youngsters like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. They have not let their manager down. New signing Mikel Merino has also become a reliable source of goals, lightening the impact of Gabriel Jesus and Havertz’s absences. 

Injury-enforced absences won’t be a factor for Palace, on the other hand. Only defender Chris Richards will be unavailable for Arsenal vs Crystal Palace. He’ll be serving a suspension following his dismissal during the 0-0 draw against Bournemouth.  

A Bit Of Uneasiness

Last summer, the Eagles lost one of their key attacking players Michael Olise. Now, there are rumors that Manchester United or Aston Villa could be swooping in for Eberechi Eze. Tottenham Hotspurs and United’s “noisy neighbors” are also thought to be interested. At 29 years of age, this is Eze’s last chance for a move to a “bigger” club. So if there’s any truth to the whispers in the grapevine, you can bet he’s listening. 

His lucky suitor will have to part with $90 million, though. Much as Man U looks poised for a quickfire summer sale, I’m not sure Coach Rúben Amorim will want to splash out that much on Eze. Skillful as he is, the England international’s languid style can be frustrating to watch. Three goals and eight assists in 29 games may also suggest someone was a little over-ambitious when setting his release clause.