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| Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: Premier League |
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: Premier League preview and predictions
The Premier League returns with a clash between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Both teams are looking for their first win of the season after losing their opening games.
Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in their opening game, while Crystal Palace lost 3-0 to Liverpool. The Gunners will be hoping to bounce back under Mikel Arteta, who has made some changes to his squad in the summer. The Eagles will be aiming to cause an upset under Patrick Vieira, who has also brought in some new faces.
Here is the latest team news, line-ups and predictions for the match.
Team news
Arsenal: Arteta has made three changes from the City game, with Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas Partey and Bukayo Saka coming into the starting XI. The Gunners are expected to stick with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Martinelli leading the line.
Crystal Palace: Vieira has also made three changes from the Liverpool game, with Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke and Eberechi Eze starting. The Eagles are likely to play with a 4-4-2 formation, with Zaha supporting Benteke up front.
Line-ups
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Leno; Gabriel; Tierney, White; Partey; Smith Rowe; Saka; Martinelli; Aubameyang.
Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Guaita; Ayew, Dannemann, Benteke; Zaha; Eze; Jokic; Ayling; Schlupp.
Predictions
Arsenal have been dominant against Crystal Palace in recent years, winning their last four meetings in all competitions. The Gunners have also scored at least two goals in each of those games. However, they will face a tough challenge from a Palace side that has improved under Vieira and has some dangerous players like Benteke and Eze.
Crystal Palace have not beaten Arsenal at home since 2016 and have lost their last three visits to the Emirates Stadium by a combined score of 10-1. However, they will not give up easily and will try to exploit Arsenal’s weaknesses at the back and on the wings.
The match could be decided by individual brilliance or individual mistakes. Martinelli could be Arsenal’s main threat with his pace and finishing ability, while Benteke could be Crystal Palace’s main danger with his strength and aerial prowess.
Who do you think will win? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
