Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Arsenal are currently one of the most dynamic squads in Europe. After back-to-back impressive victories over Real Madrid, they enter this London derby in arguably their finest run of form, despite dealing with a heavily depleted squad.
Arsenal
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain unavailable in attack, while Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhães are sidelined in defence. Nevertheless, Arsenal continue to dispatch opponents with confidence. Bukayo Saka has been managing a minor ankle issue but is expected to be available for the clash with Crystal Palace. In addition to their Champions League success, Arsenal cruised past Ipswich with a 4:0 win in the last English Premier League fixture. The squad have occasionally dropped points, such as in their 1:1 draws with Everton and Brentford, but in both matches their main issue was accuracy — converting just five and three of their 14 shots on target, respectively. The key to further dominance remains clinical finishing.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace, by contrast, produced a toothless attacking display in their most recent outing, registering only five shots against Bournemouth, none of which were on target. Their opponents managed 15 shots but also failed to find a way past Dean Henderson. The clean sheet was a much-needed boost after conceding five goals over the previous two rounds against Manchester City and Newcastle. The team also failed to beat bottom-placed Southampton away, settling for a 1:1 draw.
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Prediction
Arsenal's intricate combination play and set-piece routines should be sufficient to unlock the Crystal Palace defence, paving the way for another convincing win. The team rarely grinds out narrow victories, so at least two goals are likely in the process.
