Arsenal’s impressive performances against their London rivals in the Premier League was a hallmark of their success last season. The Gunners are aiming for another strong showing in a derby match when they face Crystal Palace.
When these teams met at Selhurst Park for the opening match of the 2022-23 season, Arsenal secured a 2-0 win. That victory marked the beginning of a run that saw the Gunners win 10 out of 12 games against fellow London clubs, including Palace, Tottenham, Brentford, Fulham, Chelsea, and West Ham.
Their only setbacks came in the form of a 1-1 draw at home against Brentford and a 2-2 tie at West Ham in April, a match in which Arsenal had initially taken a 2-0 lead in the first ten minutes.
Arsenal’s match at West Ham was part of a four-game winless streak in April that gave title contenders Manchester City the upper hand. However, before this slump, Arsenal had managed to win all five of their away matches against London clubs without conceding a single goal.
Boasting the best away record in the league last season, Arsenal are favorites to win at Selhurst Park. They’ve already started the new season on a high note, with a penalty shootout victory against Manchester City in the Community Shield and a 2-1 win at home against Nottingham Forest.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, had a promising start to their season with a win against newly-promoted Sheffield United. Despite taking 24 shots, they only managed to score once, thanks to a goal from Odsonne Edouard shortly after halftime.
To challenge Arsenal, Palace will need to be more efficient in front of goal. However, they face some challenges, as club legend Wilfried Zaha has moved to Galatasaray, and last season’s top assist provider, Michael Olise, is unavailable for the match against Arsenal.
Despite these setbacks, the Eagles received some good news when Olise, who had been linked with a move to Chelsea, decided to extend his contract with the club. As they look to build on their late-season momentum under Roy Hodgson, Crystal Palace will be eager to show that their recent success was no fluke.
Betting Tips
- Arsenal Leading at Half-Time: Arsenal has a strong track record of being ahead at half-time, leading in nine of their last 13 league matches. They also scored early against Palace in last term’s games, taking the lead in both the 20th and 28th minutes.
- Eberechi Eze to Shoot on Target: Eberechi Eze, the talented forward for Crystal Palace, is expected to have at least one shot on target. While he didn’t hit the mark with any of his eight attempts at Bramall Lane, it’s worth noting that he scored six goals in his last nine games during the 2022-23 season.
- Under 4.5 Cards: Historically, matches between these two teams have seen a low number of bookings. Only 13 yellow cards have been issued in the last six meetings. Furthermore, both teams received a combined total of only two bookings in their respective opening games.
