Arsenal can surge eight points clear at the top of the table with a win while Crystal Palace sacked Patrick Vieira amid a 12-games winless run.
Team News
Arsenal
- As if 120 grueling minutes of Europa League action was not undesirable enough, Arsenal lost both of Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and William Saliba (back) to injury in the first half.
- The severity of Saliba’s concern is not yet known. But Rob Holding can expect a rare Premier League start in his likely absence, while Eddie Nketiah and Mohamed Elneny will welcome the defensive duo into the infirmary.
- Gabriel Jesus completed 45 minutes on his first start since the World Cup on Thursday. But a demotion to the bench now seems likely as Leandro Trossard – who made history with three first-half assists at Craven Cottage – spearheads the charge.
Crystal Palace
- Meanwhile, whoever takes charge of Palace this weekend must cope without the services of Arsenal loanee Albert Sambi Lokanga, who cannot face his parent club. However, Will Hughes and/or James McArthur could return from illness to soften the blow.
- With Sam Johnstone still nursing a calf problem and Vicente Guaita dealing with a hamstring strain, 19-year-old academy graduate Joe Whitworth could make back-to-back Premier League starts in goal, while defender Nathan Ferguson is still building up his fitness match. .
- Fresh from being recalled to the England squad, Marc Guehi will offer protection to the teenage shot-stopper, as Cheick Doucoure mans the engine room after somehow escaping a second yellow card at the Amex.
Possible Lineup
Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Crystal Palace: Whitworth; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Hughes, Doucoure, Schlupp; Olise, Edouard, Zaha
Prediction Analysis
Understandably fearing the classic new manager bounce given what happened against Everton, such concerns from Gooners should prove unfounded against a shot-shy Palace side rocked by a change in the hierarchy.
Even with jellied legs working against them, Arteta named several first-teamers on the bench in midweek and has an abundance of options for change, so we do not expect any shocks to be sprung on the Emirates turf as Arsenal increase their advantage at the top. .
Our prediction is Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace.