Arsenal v Crystal Palace LIVE: Saka, Mateta and Sarr benched as Gunners look to delay Liverpool title celebrations
Arsenal host Crystal Palace in the Premier League, with the Gunners looking to delay Liverpool’s title celebrations for at least another few days.
The Gunners remain 13 points behind the champions-elect and the Reds would secure their 20th top-flight title if Palace were to beat Mikel Arteta’s side tonight.
And with Arteta likely to rest several key players ahead of next week’s Champions League semi-final, Oliver Glasner’s side could pull off a surprise result in the capital.
Palace themselves sit in 12th ahead of kick-off but are still in the hunt for a place in European competition next season, though they sit five points behind eighth-placed Bournemouth with just five matches to go.
Follow all the action from the Emirates below:
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace LIVE
Just 10 minutes until kick-off at the Emirates.
Will we see the Premier League title won tonight?
Match facts
Arsenal have lost just three of their last 36 home Premier League matches (W26 D7), though two of those three have been in London derbies (both against West Ham).
Crystal Palace have won their last two away Premier League London derbies, beating West Ham and Fulham 2-0 each time. That’s more wins than in their previous 22 away London derbies combined (W1 D11 L10).
Premier League title permutations
A reminder that the Premier League title could be decided tonight.
The permutations are simple – if Arsenal lose, Liverpool will have wrapped up a 20th top-flight title.
A draw or Arsenal win means that the Reds will have the chance to win when they play Spurs at Anfield on Sunday.
Head-to-head
These two sides have met a total of 50 times, with Arsenal winning 31, Palace winning five and 14 ending as draws.
Earlier this season, Arsenal ran out 3-2 winners in the Carabao Cup before demolishing Palace 5-1 three days later in the league.
Match facts
Arsenal have won their last five Premier League games against Crystal Palace, netting exactly five goals in both of the last two.
Having been unbeaten in four Premier League away games against Arsenal between 2019 and 2021 (W1 D3), Crystal Palace have lost their two league visits to the Emirates by an aggregate score of 9-1.
Mikel Arteta provides injury updates for Arsenal trio a week ahead of Champions League semi-final
Some injury news from Arsenal in addition to Saka…
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said there is a “good chance” that Bukayo Saka will feature against Crystal Palace this week, but Jorginho and Riccardo Calafiori will be out for the foreseeable future.
Speaking in his pre-match conference ahead of the home fixture on Wednesday, Arteta said that the club will “have to wait and see” how Saka reacts after training, though there “is nothing too serious” despite the winger being withdrawn not long after the red card challenge from Leif Davis.
Team news
For Palace, Glasner makes four changes to the side that drew to Bournemouth last week.
In defence, the suspended Chris Richards makes way for Jefferson Lerma, while in midfield, Will Hughes drops out for Daichi Kamada.
In the attacking positions, Ismaïla Sarr is benched in favour of Justin Devenny, while Jean-Philippe Mateta is rested in favour of ex-Arsenal man Eddie Nketiah.
Team news
Mikel Arteta makes four changes to the side that beat Ipswich last weekend.
In defence, Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko make way for Jurrien Timber and Myles Lewis-Skelly, while in midfield Mikel Merino drops out for Thomas Partey.
In attack, Bukayo Saka drops to the bench in favour of Raheem Sterling.
