The new season is here upon us as Arsenal and Crystal Palace raise the curtain on the 2022/23 Premier League season in a London derby at Selhurst Park on Friday night.
Arsenal finished fifth and 21 points above Palace last term but the Eagles went unbeaten against the Gunners, unsettling their Championsh League qualification bid with a 3-0 romp in this fixture last April.
After an impressive pre-season that saw Arsenal win five out of seven games, the Gunners start the season with a trip to south London, with Mikel Arteta hoping to avoid the same fate that befell them in last year’s all-London kick-off, when they were bested by newly-promoted Brentford after a dismal display.
The Eagles on the other hand won three of their last four friendlies, notching seven times in two matches against QPR and Montpellier, and have been boosted by the arrivals of Cheick Doucouré and Chris Richards.
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal – Team News
Palace have a few injury concerns at present, with James McArthur, James Tomkins and Michael Olise all sidelined, along with goalkeepers Sam Johnstone and Jack Butland. Doucoure is poised for a full debut.
Conor Gallagher’s return to Chelsea will give Eberechi Eze a prominent place in the team.
Arsenal are likely to be without midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, who is struggling with a groin issue.
Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Fabio Vieira are all recovering from injuries, with Mikel Arteta admitting that “most of them” will be available.
French defender William Saliba is in line for a first start in an Arsenal shirt, while former Manchester City players Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko should also make their debuts.
Crystal Palace Possible starting Lineup(4-3-3):
Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Schlupp, Doucoure, Eze; Ayew, Edouard, Zaha
Arsenal Possible Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Ramsdale; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Crystal Palace have lost one of their past eight Premier League meetings with Arsenal (W2, D5), and will be aiming to win consecutive league games against the Gunners for the first time after a 3-0 home victory in April.
- Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games and kept clean sheets in each of the last five outings.
- Crystal Palace have won their opening top-flight league match in only five of their previous 22 seasons (D7 L10), although they have won two of their last four (D1 L1), beating Fulham in 2018/19 and Southampton in 2020/21.
- Gabriel Jesus has scored in two of his last three Premier League visits to Selhurst Park.
- Three of Arsenal’s last four goals against Crystal Palace in the Premier League have been netted in the 90th minute or later.
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal Kick-off Time
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal is scheduled for an 8pm BST kick-off on Friday, August 5, 2022. The match will take place at Selhurst Park.
Prediction.
Arsenal face another balmy Friday away night to open their season after failing short to short to newly promoted Brentford last season. And beyond the opening night hurdle Arsenal must clear, the Gunners don’t have a great record against Crystal Palace recently – settling for just 1 win in their last 8 matches including the 3-0 wobbling defeat at this same venue last season.
Palace will of course take major confidence from their showings against Arsenal last term and their spate of clean sheets at home, but the Gunners have looked like a different beast in pre-season.
Summer signings Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have looked sharp , whilst the return of William Saliba from his loan spell has boosted the defensive ranks and Palace will be without Conor Gallagher after returning to his parents club.
Palace away under Vieira is certainly not an easy game to open with, but a hard-fought away victory should be on the cards for the Mikel Arteta’s men.
