Arsenal vs Crystal Palace prediction, preview, team news and more | Premier League 2020-21
Arsenal host Crystal Palace in Premier League action on Thursday in what is sure to be a feisty London derby.
Mikel Arteta's side are currently 11th in the Premier League, one point ahead of Palace who sit 14th on the table.
The Gunners will look to make it five wins on the trot in all competitions as they take on a Crystal Palace side who have faltered in their recent fixtures.
Arsenal are coming off a 2-0 win in the FA Cup against Newcastle. Goals from Emile Smith-Rowe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were enough to send the Gunners through to the next round.
Mikel Arteta will hope that his captain begins to bang in the goals for his team. Aubameyang has only scored three goals in the league this season and has looked off the pace for the majority of the campaign.
Roy Hodgson will be looking to stop the rot against Arsenal. Palace fell to a 1-0 defeat to Wolves in the FA Cup, and have only won once in their last seven fixtures. The South London side has fallen to heavy defeats in recent weeks, losing 7-0 to Liverpool and 3-0 to Aston Villa.
Palace have conceded the third-most goals in the Premier League this season. They will come up against an Arsenal side who are one of the most in-form teams in the league.
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Head-to-Head
Crystal Palace can take comfort in their recent head-to-head record against Arsenal. Palace are unbeaten in their last four meetings against Arsenal, with the Gunners having last beaten the Eagles in 2018.
Crystal Palace famously won 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium to all but end Arsenal's hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League during the 2018-19 season.
Last season, the two sides played out draws in both Premier League fixtures. In Arsenal's home match, Palace came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal Form Guide: L-W-W-W-W
Crystal Palace Form Guide: L-L-D-W-L
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Team News
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta's side will be provided a huge boost by the return of Gabriel and Thomas Partey. However, the Ghanaian is expected to be eased back into the side after his thigh injury.
Arteta will also be relieved that Gabriel Martinell's injury is not as bad as first thought. The young Brazilian should be in contention for next Monday's fixture against Newcastle.
Injured: Gabriel Martinelli
Doubtful: Thomas Partey
Suspended: None
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace will be without centre-back trio Gary Cahill, Scott Dann and Mamadou Sakho. Sakho and Dann picked up injuries this month, while Cahill has been out since mid-December.
Roy Hodgson's side has also been dealt a huge blow, as Jeffrey Schlupp has been ruled out for at least three months due to a hamstring injury. That will give the exciting England youngster Eberechi Eze another chance to strut his stuff in the Premier League.
Injured: Gary Cahill, Scott Dann, Mamadou Sakho, Jeffrey Schlupp
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Predicted XI
Arsenal Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Kieran Tierney, Gabriel, Rob Holding, Hector Bellerin; Granit Xhaka, Mohammed Elneny; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Emile Smith-Rowe, Bukayo Saka; Alexandre Lacazette
Crystal Palace Predicted XI (4-4-1-1): Vicente Guaita; Patrick van Aanholt, Cheikhou Kouyate, James Tomkins, Nathaniel Clyne; Eberechi Eze, James McArthur, Luka Milivojevic, Andros Townsend; Wilfried Zaha; Christian Benteke
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Prediction
Mikel Arteta's side will be flying high after their recent run of fixtures and will start out as favorites on Thursday. However, the attacking flair of Crystal Palace is sure to make things uncomfortable for the Gunners.
That being said, Arsenal should have too much firepower for Crystal Palace to handle.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Crystal Palace