Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
As things stand, Arsenal are in the relegation zone. Crystal Palace meanwhile sit pretty in the Premier League’s top six. It’s been a surprising start from both teams, but this Sunday lunchtime’s clash should provide some insight as to whether those early positions are entirely misleading or indicative of the trajectory of the respective sides.
The Gunners need a win pretty badly. Having been hyped by many onlookers as potential title contenders, their opening weekend defeat to West Ham will have been very painful. It’s not so much the passing up of three points, but the complete loss of momentum that will have stung. Arsenal need to pick themselves up immediately if they’re to reignite their title charge. Speaking to the BBC, Arsene Wenger insisted his men are ready to bounce back from their early disappointment:
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"Every defeat makes you a bit smaller, but it is our job to take it in perspective with 37 games to go. We have a big following and disappointed people are emotional, that is understandable and it hurts us as well to disappoint people who have a high level of expectation. We have analysed what happened to us, but we don't have to go overboard with what happened. It is a defeat and it hurts, but that shouldn't take away our belief in our potential.
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Palace, on the other hand, began their season with a convincing 3-1 win over Norwich City on their return to the Premier League. Back at Selhurst Park, they will fancy their chances of causing an upset and continuing their impressive record in big games under Alan Pardew.
London derbies are always famously tricky to call. In this instance, it’s particularly difficult to make a judgement. Much will depend on how Arsenal fare after their opening day defeat to the Hammers—if they allow too much doubt or uncertainty to creep in, Palace seem likely exactly the sort of team to take advantage of that hesitation.
Date: Sunday August 16
Time: 1.30 p.m. BST, 8.30 a.m. ET
Location: Selhurst Park, London
Television coverage: Sky Sports 1 / Sky Sports 1 HD (UK); NBCSN (U.S.)
Streaming: Sky Go (UK)
Fixture history
Arsenal have not lost in each of their last dozen visits to Selhurst Park. Remarkably, they’ve lost only one league game on the ground, and that was back in 1979.
Palace, by contrast, have not beaten Arsenal in any of their previous 11 attempts. Pardew will be desperate to break that run this weekend, full in the knowledge that such a result would send reverberations through the Premier League.
Team News
Former Gunner Marouane Chamakh will not be available to face his former club having picked up a hamstring injury. Similarly, goalkeeper Julian Speroni will not be available due to an injury to his finger. Other than that, Crystal Palace have a fit squad to choose from.
One would imagine that Pardew’s principal aim will be to utilise the pace in his squad to test Arsenal’s back four. Any defence marshalled by Per Mertesacker is likely to be vulnerable to speed, after all.
Predicted Crystal Palace XI (4-2-3-1): Alex McCarthy; Joel Ward, Scott Dann, Damien Delaney, Pape Souare; Yohan Cabaye, James McArthur; Wilfried Zaha, Jordon Mutch, Jason Puncheon; Glenn Murray
Although the England international duo of Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere remain sidelined—and they have been recently joined there by Czech international Tomas Rosicky—Arsene Wenger still has an enormous amount of options at his disposal.
The most useful thing from Wenger’s perspective is that he is once again able to call upon Alexis Sanchez. The relentlessly hard-working Chilean does seem to be champing at the bit. With him now back in the matchday squad, Arsenal have added serious attacking threat to their first-choice XI.
Beyond that, Wenger’s big choice revolves around which of Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla should win a place alongside Francis Coquelin in midfield. The loser of that particular battle is likely to end up filling a wide berth rather than playing in their preferred central spot. Wenger must find a way to keep everyone in his squad content without unduly unsettling the balance of the team.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Petr Cech; Hector Bellerin, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal; Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla; Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez; Olivier Giroud
Players to Watch
Crystal Palace: Yohan Cabaye
Even Eagles fans could be forgiven for perceiving Cabaye as a player who is simply too good to be playing for Crystal Palace. Seeing the France international arrive at a club of Palace’s relatively lowly stature was truly remarkable. His move from Paris Saint-Germain to South London was yet another demonstration of the remarkable pulling power of the Premier League.
However, Cabaye has not returned to England solely for the glamour. He’s also a great player who has already demonstrated in his time with Newcastle that he is a more than competent Premier League midfielder. If he can seize control of the midfield then Palace will be difficult to stop.
Arsenal: Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud has plenty to prove if he is to establish himself as Arsenal’s first-choice centre-forward. Despite an impressive 2014/15 campaign, doubts persist about his ability to lead Arsenal to title glory.
This would be a great time to dampen those fears with a storming display. Giroud has the physicality, intelligence and experience to make himself a handful for any defence on his day. Arsenal must hope he is able to impose himself upon the opposition at Selhurst Park. If Giroud can earn a solid footing in this London derby, he could operate as the pivot around which Arsenal’s attacks are structured.
Key Battle: Yannick Bolasie vs. Hector Bellerin
This promises to be quite the battle. Bellerin missed the opening day of the season, but he has recovered just in time to face flying winger Yannick Bolasie.
These two speed merchants will be locked in a tussle all afternoon. The winner of this particular duel could have a massive impact on the ultimate destination of the three points.
James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.
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