Arsenal v Crystal Palace LIVE: Gunners held to attract however delay Liverpool title celebrations
Arsenal kept Liverpool‘s Premier League title-winning champagne on ice but only just as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Crystal Palace.
First-half goals by Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard looked like being enough for a lacklustre Arsenal against a lively Palace side who equalised with an Eberechi Eze volley.
But there was a late twist as Palace substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta produced a superb chipped finish over Arsenal keeper David Raya in the 83rd minute.
The draw left second-placed Arsenal on 67 points from 34 games with Liverpool on 79 from 33. Had Arsenal lost, Liverpool would have won the title on Wednesday but they can now seal it with one point against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Follow all the action from the Emirates below:
Glasner reacts
Speaking to Sky Sports, Palace boss Oliver Glasner called the game “excellent”.
“Credit to the players. The reaction [to recent results] was amazing today. I’m proud of what the players showed. We scored amazing goals. I watched many Arsenal games and I can’t remember a team with as many clear chances as we had.
“We want to show our identity and personality. It’s important to keep this energy and confidence for the semi-final on Saturday.
“It was not our goal to decide the title, it was our goal to win the game. I think a draw is a very good result. More important is the performance.
“We are back on the track. That’s what we need,” he added.
Mateta reacts
Goalscorer Jean-Philippe Mateta says that he noticed Raya “was very high up the pitch, so I knew if I won the ball I could try [the chip], so I did and scored”.
“It is one of the best goals of my career. I thought it hit the crossbar but thankfully it was in,” he adds.
“We have struggled for the last three games but we just listened to the gaffer and today was a good game for us.
On the FA Cup semi-final, he adds: “We can go in with confidence and hopefully we will win the semi-final. It is a very big game for the fans, for everybody and I can’t wait to play on Saturday.
“I am very happy. Hopefully I will score more goals. 14 goals is good but I hope for much more,” he says as he finishes.
Next up
Before we bring you some reaction, a reminder of each side’s next match…
Palace face a huge game as they take on Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday. That one kicks off at 5.15pm.
As for arsenal, they next play in just under a week and it’s an other huge game – the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against PSG.
That kicks off at 8pm on Tuesday, 29 April.
Premier League title race
This result means Liverpool simply need a draw (or a win) against Spurs at the weekend in order to win the 2024/25 Premier League!
FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace
FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace
The referee brings the match to an end as Liverpool take a step closer to the Premier League.
A fairly entertaining game given the circumstances, and a good warm-up for both sides ahead of the biggest games of their respective seasons.
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace
90 +7 mins
Arsenal fans want a winner but the players don’t seem as fussed as Henderson collects Trossard’s cross.
That should be that.
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace
90 +5 mins
It’s petering out slightly at the Emirates, as Mateta is given man of the match! It was a brilliant finish to be fair.
