Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace: Team News, Live Stream, TV Info, Ticket News
A few weeks ago, this fixture between Arsenal and Crystal Palace looked as if it might have huge significance at both ends of the table. However, the stakes for both sides have since lowered significantly.
Arsenal’s last outing was the 3-3 draw at West Ham United. Given the Gunners led the game 2-0 with 43 minutes played, it was a disastrous result. With Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur winning on the same weekend, even the most optimistic of Arsenal fans would admit the title now seems beyond them. As things stand, Arsene Wenger’s team trail the league leaders by a massive 13 points.
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Crystal Palace have enjoyed better fortunes of late. After an awful start to 2016, they're now unbeaten in their last three games. A win over Norwich City last weekend could prove absolutely vital—after flirting with relegation, they’re now 11 points clear of the drop.
Nevertheless, neither side can afford to fully relax just yet. Arsenal must keep up the pace in the hope Leicester or Spurs slip. Even if the title is too much of a stretch, the prize of finishing above Tottenham would be a significant one. As for Palace, they’ll be keen to climb back up the table to a position more befitting of a squad of their ability.
Date: Sunday, April 17
Time: 4.00 p.m. BST/11.00 a.m. ET
Location: Emirates Stadium, London
Television coverage: Sky Sports 1 / Sky Sports 1 HD (U.K. only), NBCSN / Telemundo (U.S. only)
Streaming: Sky Go (U.K. only), NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)
Ticket Information
For ticket information on all Premier League games, visit the official site or go to the ticket page on the home club's official website. Secondary ticket information for Arsenal can be found here.
Form
Arsenal
L (1-2) vs. Watford
L (3-1) vs. Barcelona
W (0-2) vs. Everton
W (4-0) vs. Watford
D (3-3) vs. West Ham
Crystal Palace
W (2-0) vs. Reading
L (0-1) vs. Leicester
D (2-2) vs. West Ham
W (1-0) vs. Norwich
D (0-0) vs. Everton
Over the past five games, the records of these two teams are actually somewhat similar—both sides have been a three-match unbeaten spell. Palace seemed revitalised by their draw with West Ham, but it remains to be seen what repercussions that result will have for Arsenal.
The Gunners should be at a slight advantage this weekend as Palace will have played in midweek, whereas Wenger's team have been afforded a full week's rest.
The Managers
After dropping two points last weekend, Arsenal know their chance of the title is almost gone. When asked after the West Ham match where the result left his team, Wenger was downcast but realistic in his response.
The Frenchman told Arsenal's website:
"[We’re] third in the league with 59 points. That is not where we want to be but we have made it much more difficult for ourselves now to have a chance to win the Premier League. We have to keep going no matter what and hope. You never know what can happen. As well, we have to look behind us as people are chasing us. We have to be serious and focus on finishing as high as possible. Where that is, I don’t know. This is one of the places where you could drop points but you see the game and feel guilty you have dropped points.
"
Arsenal may well feel guilty, but they can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves. They need to ensure they get back to winning ways against Palace—or, as Wenger intimates, the chasing pack could threaten their spot in the top four.
The mood at Palace is somewhat better after an upturn in both results and performances. Speaking to the BBC, Alan Pardew admitted that it has been a difficult spell, but he now seems optimistic about the future:
"Once we're safe hopefully I'll sign a new contract here, because I want to stay.
We weren't expecting that [winless] run to go on as long as it went on.
The first half of this season we got it right, but the second we haven't. We need to address that. The confidence levels, hopefully, have gone up, and our nervousness has disappeared.
"
Pardew’s employers may well want to see a little more evidence that Palace are over their recent slump. A positive result against Arsenal would be another big step in the right direction.
Team News
Arsenal
Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky have continued to step up their rehabilitation with the Arsenal U21 side, but neither is in contention to play this game.
The most likely change from the game against West Ham is the reintroduction of Petr Cech. The former Chelsea man has spent the last two matches on the bench, but he will surely be brought back in to help shore up a rocking defence.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Petr Cech; Hector Bellerin, Gabriel Paulista, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal; Francis Coquelin, Mohamed Elneny; Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Alex Iwobi; Danny Welbeck
Crystal Palace
Palace are likely to continue in large part with the players who performed creditably against Everton.
However, Pardew will surely be tempted to bring in Emmanuel Adebayor. The Togolese forward came off the bench against the Toffees and would be highly motivated to perform against his former club.
Predicted Crystal Palace XI (4-2-3-1): Wayne Hennessey; Joel Ward, Scott Dann, Damien Delaney, Pape Souare; Mile Jedinak, Yohan Cabaye; Wilfried Zaha, Yannick Bolasie, Jason Puncheon; Emmanuel Adebayor
Players to watch
Arsenal: Mesut Ozil
In the week he was named on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year Award, Mesut Ozil will want a top performance to reassert his credentials for the season’s major honours.
He’ll also have an eye on Thierry Henry’s record of 20 Premier League assists. Currently, Ozil is on 18. He’d love to surpass the Arsenal legend before the campaign’s close, so Palace should be on their guard against the mercurial German.
Crystal Palace: Emmanuel Adebayor
Adebayor is a very familiar face to the Arsenal fans. They were his firs club in English football, and he made himself a hero at the Emirates when he scored 30 goals in the 2007/08 campaign.
However, the relationship has soured since. If he does play for Palace against Arsenal, he is sure to get a fierce reception. Arsenal should beware though: that could merely inspire him.
Some of Adebayor’s most memorable performances—and celebrations—have come against his former employers. The Gunners showed their weakness in the air against West Ham, and Adebayor has the spring to exploit it.
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.
