Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge took another blow as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium. The result leaves Liverpool just one point away from clinching the trophy for the second time in six seasons.
With a 12-point advantage over Arsenal, Liverpool can now secure the league crown with a draw against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday. It would be their 20th league title, putting them level with Manchester United in the all-time standings.
Both teams had one eye on their respective cup commitments, with Arsenal preparing for a Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain and Palace looking ahead to an FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa. As a result, several key players were rested, including Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, who started on the bench.
Two comebacks earn Palace a draw
The home side took an early lead when Jakub Kiwior met a delivery from Martin Odegaard and found the net with a well-placed header inside the opening three minutes. Despite looking dangerous in attack, Palace were shaky defensively but equalized midway through the first half. Adam Wharton’s clever delivery from a set piece was met by Eberechi Eze, whose bouncing volley hit the post and crossed the line.
Arsenal responded before the break. Jurrien Timber picked out Leandro Trossard, who managed to squeeze a low finish past Dean Henderson for his fourth league goal in as many matches.
Palace, however, refused to back down. Although Justin Devenny and Ismaila Sarr both missed good headed chances, the visitors eventually drew level through substitute Mateta. The forward capitalized on a misplaced pass from William Saliba and lifted the ball calmly over David Raya to earn his side a deserved point.
Europe the priority for both teams
Mikel Arteta rotated his squad with Tuesday’s European clash in mind. Saka, who suffered an ankle knock against Ipswich, was left on the bench, while the injured Mikel Merino and Ben White were not included in the matchday squad. Arteta declined to give details on their fitness, only saying their availability for the PSG fixture was uncertain.
Trossard was selected to lead the line, partly due to Thomas Partey’s suspension for the upcoming European match, which will require Merino in midfield if fit. The Belgian forward’s goal-scoring form could prove vital in the continental tie.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, whose side is comfortably placed in mid-table, also balanced his team selection with the FA Cup in mind. Though his defense looked vulnerable in the first half, Palace created enough chances in the second to potentially steal the win. Mateta’s cool finish capped a promising performance, though improvements at the back will be necessary for their Wembley test.
