Arsenal vs Crystal Palace at the Emirates
Arsenal faces Crystal Palace at the Emirates in a game from the 21st round of the Premier League. It looks like an excellent match, so let’s preview it in these best free soccer tips daily. Arsenal needs to wake up as quickly as possible. The Gunners lost their last two matches in the league, which made them fall to 4th place in the standings. Mikel Arteta’s team is currently five points behind the leader Liverpool. Arsenal can’t allow themselves to continue like this - they need to start winning again.
Arteta’s team needs to get back to what they do best - controlling the game and dictating the tempo. The Gunners have enough tools to do so. Martin Odegaard will be key for the team’s creativity, while Declan Rice remains the player who brings inspiration in midfield.
Mikel Arteta started Kai Havertz in midfield during the 1-2 loss against Fulham. Because of the injuries of Zinchenko and Partey, he could be forced to do it again. The German international is raising some concerns with his performances since his arrival from Chelsea. He has qualities, but Havertz still lacks the confidence to show everyone he deserves to be at Arsenal.
What Arsenal is missing right now is a true poacher who scores a lot of goals. No single player in the Gunners’ squad has a double-digit on his record. The team’s best goalscorer is Bukayo Saka, who has had just six league goals since the beginning of the campaign. Arteta must choose between Edward Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus for a starting spot against Crystal Palace.
There are some hopes that Oleksandr Zinchenko could be fit to face Crystal Palace. The Ukrainian international recovered from a calf injury. It’d be good news for Mikel Arteta if he can include him in the match squad.
Crystal Palace is currently sitting in 14th place in the Premier League standings with 21 points won so far. Roy Hodgson’s team has a record of five wins, six draws, and nine defeats. They were in a long run of consecutive games without a win before their success against Brentford in the previous round - 3-1. The Bees opened the score at Selhurst Park, but Palace turned it around with goals from Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze. Olise scored a brace for the hosts. He increased his record to 5 league goals since the beginning of the 2023/24 season.
Surely Crystal Palace will adopt a conservative approach against Arsenal - they could hardly beat the Gunners while trying to outscore them. For the team, it’d be crucial to defend as well as possible, close space, and use every opportunity in attack. It means players like Guehi and Andersen must be rock solid at the back while Eze, Richards, and Lerma do their best in midfield. Ayew, Mateta, and Olise are the players to watch in Crystal Palace’s attack.
The French striker Odsonne Edouard is another option for Hodgson for the attack. He's actually the team’s best goalscorer this season, with 6 goals in the Premier League. Odsonne didn’t play against Brentford, but now he could be used against Arsenal.
Those are the best free soccer tips daily for the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Crystal Palace in the English capital. After three consecutive matches without a win in the league, Arsenal must win this one at any cost. The Gunners are not in their best shape at the moment, but they must win matches like this if they want to win the title. At the same time, Crystal Palace are a tough opponent - they won’t give up easily at the Emirates, that’s for sure.
