Table topping Arsenal welcome Crystal Palace to The Emirates Stadium in Sunday’s only Premier League match up.
The weekend’s league fixtures have come under significant disruption, due to the FA Cup quarter-finals taking place at the same time. It does, however, present the Gunners with a very enticing opportunity. If Mikel Arteta’s men can get a victory here, they’ll open up the gap between themselves and second placed Manchester City to eight points.
Plenty on the line.
Having missed the opportunity to extend their lead to that number the last time it was presented to them, Arsenal will be keen to take full advantage this time around. That gap might be needed, as the North London club have a hectic April schedule that will see them come up against Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.
There’s plenty on the line for Crystal Palace here, too. After a decent start to the season under manager Patrick Vieira, The Eagles’ form has slipped away somewhat. They’ll come into this game looking to cause an upset and increase the distance between themselves and the several clubs who are finding themselves in a relegation battle.
Back in the groove.
A worrying sign for Palace fans is the fact that Arsenal are very much back in the groove after a difficult spell between January and February. Since then, they’ve won five and drawn one of their six games in all competitions. That draw was the 2-2 stalemate with Sporting in the Europa League, so the Gunners are actually looking for their sixth straight league win here.
Crystal Palace’s form couldn’t be much more opposite than that of their hosts. They’ve really struggled to get points on the board in 2023 and it’s resulted in them very much being dragged into a potential relegation dogfight. Their away form has been very much to blame for their precarious position and it doesn’t look like things will get much better come Sunday.
Fortress.
The good news for Gunners fans is that their team has been pretty formidable at home this season. Only Manchester City have picked up more points at home than Mikel Arteta’s men this season and home advantage should stand them in good stead for this. With so much to play for, you can be sure that the home fans will create a fantastic atmosphere.
Everybody is waiting for the ‘Arsenal collapse’ that we’ve become accustomed to in recent years. Many thought that was happening during January and February, but Manchester City failed to take advantage and the Gunners have kicked on again to keep the champions at arm’s length. While they’re very much expected to win this game, it’s unlikely to be a walk in the park.
Patrick Vieira’s side have only been losing games by the odd goal recently, so they certainly know how to keep things tight. Arsenal will need to be on top of their game to create chances in a bid to put the game beyond all doubt as early as possible.
