Arsenal face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday evening knowing defeat will surrender the title to Liverpool.
The Gunners are 13 points behind Liverpool with five games to play. A draw will be enough to keep them in the title race, but defeat will mean it would be mathematically impossible to win the league.
The reality is Liverpool have almost certainly won the title anyway, but Mikel Arteta’s men will be determined to fight all the way. They face a Crystal Palace side in mixed form, typified by their goalless draw against Bournemouth at the weekend.
ARSENAL VS CRYSTAL PALACE PREVIEW
Both teams come into this fixture in a period of erratic performances. The Gunners have won three and drawn three of their last six games in the Premier League. However, they did beat Ipswich 4-0 in their last game while they are still riding high from knocking Real Madrid out of the Champions League last week.
Palace, meanwhile, conceded five goals in each of their games against Manchester City and Newcastle United. However, they steadied the ship on Saturday by securing a 0-0 draw at home to Bournemouth.
Those five-goal defeats – 5-2 at City and 5-0 at Newcastle – were Palace’s last two away games so things don’t auger well for their trip to the Emirates.
Previous head-to-heads don’t auger well for Palace either. The Gunners have won all of the last six games between the two sides, including 5-0 in the last Premier League game at the Emirates. Braces from Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli sandwiched a Leandro Trossard effort.
Palace also shipped five goals in this season’s Premier League fixture at Selhurst Park in a 5-1 defeat.
The last fixture between the two sides at the Emirates was earlier this season in the League Cup – a game Palace lost 3-2. A Gabriel Jesus hat-trick did the damage. This was three days earlier than the aforementioned 5-1 loss in the Premier League.
Both Gabriel and Gabriel Jesus will be out for this game due to injury. Kai Havertz and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also long-term absentees for the Guners.
For Palace, Cheick Doucoure and Chadi Riad are both out, but Maxence Lacroix should be back from concussion.
ARSENAL VS CRYSTAL PALACE – PREDICTIONS
Arsenal Win
Arsenal need to win to keep the pressure on Liverpool and have home advantage here. They have scored five goals against Palace in their last two Premier League games, while Palace have shipped five goals in their last two Premier League away games. All of this points to an Arsenal win.
Draw
Palace secured a draw last time out, while their current form is somewhat mixed. The Gunners drew against another mid-table London side, Brentford, in their last home game at the Emirates.
Crystal Palace Win
Palace have won three London derbies in the Premier League this season, including their last two. Their FA Cup run to the semi-finals shows they can beat anyone on their day.
ARSENAL VS CRYSTAL PALACE – BETTING TIPS
Arsenal Win
It’s hard to look past Arsenal. They have the greater need for points, home advantage and the recent head-to-head record is on their side. They have won all of their last six games against Crystal Palace, five in the Premier League, and struck five goals against them in their last two league meetings.
Over 2.5 Goals
Four of Arsenal’s six recent wins against Palace have been in matches with over 2.5 goals. They also scored four past Ipswich last time out. They dumped Real Madrid out of the Champions League in a 2-1 win. Meanwhile, there have been at least three goals in three of Palace’s last four Premier League matches.
Bukayo Saka to Score or Assist
Bukayo Saka has been involved in five goals in the past three home games against Crystal Palace in all competitions. At 15 goals or assists, Saka has the most of any Arsenal player at the Emirates this season. He has recently returned from injury and is looking hungry.
HEAD-TO-HEAD AND KEY STATS
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23-04-2025 |
Arsenal FC |
2 - 2 |
Crystal Palace FC |
| 21-12-2024 |
Crystal Palace FC |
1 - 5 |
Arsenal FC |
| 20-01-2024 |
Arsenal FC |
5 - 0 |
Crystal Palace FC |
| 21-08-2023 |
Crystal Palace FC |
0 - 1 |
Arsenal FC |
- Arsenal and Crystal Palace have played each other 57 times, with the Gunners winning 35. Palace have won six games while there have been 16 draws.
- Arsenal have won all of the last six encounters between the two sides, five in the Premier League.
- Crystal Palace have lost their last three trips to the Emirates, two in the Premier League.
- The Gunners have lost just three of their last 36 home matches in the Premier League (W26 D7).
- Arsenal have not been beaten in their last 42 home Premier League games in which they have scored first (W36 D6).
- Crystal Palace have won three Premier League London derbies this season, more than since the 1990/91 campaign. They have also won their last two Premier League London derbies – 2-0 against both West Ham and Fulham.
Premier League Top Scorer
| # | Player | Team | Goals | Assists | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Mohamed Salah |
Liverpool FC | 28 | 17 | 36 |
| 2 |
Alexander Isak |
Newcastle United FC | 23 | 6 | 33 |
| 3 |
Erling Haaland |
Manchester City FC | 21 | 3 | 30 |
| 4 |
Chris Wood |
Nottingham Forest FC | 20 | 3 | 34 |
| 5 |
Bryan Mbeumo |
Brentford FC | 18 | 8 | 36 |
