Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Preview
- Draw or Arsenal win
- Both teams to score
Gunners aim to keep slim title hopes alive
Arsenal may be on the verge of surrendering their Premier League title challenge mathematically, but Mikel Arteta’s men remain focused on finishing strong. Should they suffer defeat here, rivals Liverpool could be crowned champions, but given the Gunners’ formidable home record, such a scenario appears unlikely. Arsenal have lost just three of their last 36 Premier League games at the Emirates (W26, D7), although two of those losses came in London derbies against West Ham.
Confidence will be flowing after a comprehensive 4-0 win over Ipswich last weekend, where Arsenal dominated from start to finish despite their visitors going down to ten men. That extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches (W6, D5), and with six consecutive wins over Crystal Palace in the bag – including two league matches with five goals scored – the Gunners will expect another commanding performance.
Palace looking to build on resilience
Crystal Palace arrive on the back of a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Bournemouth, achieved despite playing more than 45 minutes with ten men. That draw added to their strong 2025 form (W7, D3, L4), placing them among the top-performing sides in the league since the turn of the year – a testament to the steady hand of manager Oliver Glasner.
Palace’s defensive stability under Glasner could be vital here as they seek to halt Arsenal’s momentum. Encouragingly, they’ve picked up two consecutive away wins in London derbies, and they now have the chance to win three in a row for the first time since a run between April 1995 and November 1997.
Key battle: Wingers on fire
The wings may decide the outcome of this clash. Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli has made a habit of tormenting Palace, netting five times in his last five league appearances against them. Meanwhile, Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta has stepped up on derby days, directly contributing to five goals in his last seven London derbies.
Players to watch
Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)
The Brazilian has been a consistent thorn in Palace’s side, with two of his goals in last season’s home fixture coming after the 90th minute.
His direct style and eye for late goals make him a key threat.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
In strong form when it comes to London derbies, Mateta has scored four and assisted one across his last seven.
He’ll likely be Palace’s main outlet on the counter.
Hot stat
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 42 home Premier League matches when scoring the opening goal (W36, D6) – a trend that heavily favours the hosts if they get off to a fast start.
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