Normally Arsenal fans would look at a fixture like this and think this should be an easy three points, especially as Crystal Palace have only won one of their last seven games, and that was against rock-bottom Sheffield United.
But amazingly, even though Arsenal have won their last three League games, we still sit only one point above the Eagles in the table and are still three points from getting into the top half of the Premier League.
So this is yet another must win game for the Gunners, and Arteta will be feeling just as much pressure as he had a few weeks ao. He also knows about the dangers from Zaha and Co. Arteta told Arsenal.com: “They are a really dangerous side and they have shown that against big teams. They are a really compact and organised team and you know what you’re going to expect.
“They have players with a big individual talent that just need moments to win games, to create actions that can unbalance the game so we have to be very careful with that. Then, we have to play to be dominant again in the game. We go from the first minute to try to win the game, to attack them and be cautious as well of the strengths that they have and try to control them as much as possible.”
“As I said before, they don’t need much, they have very specific players in positions that reinforces their way of playing. Roy always makes things difficult and they lost some games, some undeserved and some with a big margin like against Liverpool. But for me it’s not a real consequence of what they are as a team.
“Listen, every game in the Premier League is tough. It will be tough against them when a team is in the moment that they are in because we weren’t that far away a few weeks ago. I know what the spirit is in that dressing room and the willingness to put things right is, so we have to be there and be really, really ready to go and win that match again.”
Arteta is right that this is a very big potential banana skin, but I can’t help feeling quietly confident after seeing us win our last four games with three clean sheets. Let’s hope I am right for a change!
As long as the team selection is right I can’t see us dropping any points!
——- Laca
Auba – ESR – Saka
—- Xhaka – Ceballos
KT – Mari – Rob – HB
——– Leno
With Martinelli out and Partey still unlikely fit to start, I prefer this setup.
I hope we don’t risk partey from the start unless he is 100% fit. Don’t want another recurring injury crap.
AMN needed to stop Zaha.
Zaha will dive….a lot! Always has and always will
I hope our defence doesn’t give him the excuse to go down
That could work to our advantage as he has that reputation and refs know it.
It will really be down to team selection. I would like to see AMN in the team along with Tierney to cover Zaha on either flank. Bellerin is too pedestrian.