Overview
Arsenal and Crystal Palace have two consecutive matches against each other in just a few days. In the confrontation on December 19, The Gunners won a dramatic 3-2 victory thanks to a hat-trick by Gabriel Jesus at the Emirates Stadium.
Coach Mikel Arteta fielded a number of substitutes in that game, but Arsenal still dominated their opponents completely and had over 70% of the possession. The Carabao Cup win will certainly give the Gunners a boost of confidence heading into Selhurst Park.
Arsenal are in poor form in the Premier League, having been held to draws by weaker opponents Fulham and Everton. These poor results have caused them to miss out on the chance to close the gap on Liverpool, while The Kop have also dropped points.
Therefore, the Emirates team needs to quickly return to winning streak and the match against Crystal Palace, who are ranked 15th on the rankings, is a better opportunity for them.
After a disappointing start, Crystal Palace have found their rhythm and are playing better recently. They are on a five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, including two wins and three draws. The loss to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup is not a big deal, as Olivier Glasner's side do not take this competition seriously.
With good form, Crystal Palace promises to create many difficulties for Arsenal but to win is very difficult. A similar scenario to the match in the Carabao Cup can be repeated again.
Overall, Palace are now on a five-match losing streak against Arsenal in all competitions.
Human resources situation
Daniel Munoz will miss Crystal Palace's game after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season, so experienced defender Nathaniel Clyne could come in.
On the other side of the pitch, Declan Rice is expected to return to the Arsenal squad, while Gabriel Jesus, despite scoring a hat-trick in midweek, could be benched.
Expected lineup:
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi, Clyne, Hughes, Doucoure, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
The match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal takes place at 0:30 am on December 22 (Vietnam time).
