Arsenal vs Crystal Palace – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Arsenal welcome Crystal Palace to the Emirates Stadium tonight for a midweek London derby.

A loss for the Gunners this evening would confirm Liverpool as the 2024/25 Premier League champions.

Bukayo Saka may be rested as the medical staff monitor his minutes. The winger was on the end of some forceful treatment last weekend in the 4-0 demolition of Ipswich.

Italian pair Riccardo Calafiori and Jorginho are ruled out with the latter likely to miss the remainder of the campaign. The 33-year-old suffered a rib injury in the 1-1 draw with Brentford which will prevent him from featuring for a minimum of three weeks.

Gabriel, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are at various stages of recovery.

Palace’s involvement in the FA Cup semi-final this weekend has pushed forward this fixture with their London rivals.

Chris Richards is unavailable due to suspension. At the weekend, the defender was sent off for two bookable offences at home to Bournemouth. The Eagles felt aggrieved as Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Tyler Adams both committed similar fouls without receiving the same punishment.

Oliver Glasner announced that Chelsea loanee Ben Chilwell will miss tonight’s match due to illness. In other news, central defender Chadi Riad and midfielder Cheick Doucoure won’t play again this season.

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace – Match preview and team news

Form

Arsenal: DWDWW

Arsenal comfortably dispatched Ipswich Town on Sunday courtesy of a 4-0 triumph.

Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli found the net prior to Leif Davis’ first-half dismissal for a poor challenge on Bukayo Saka.

After the interval, Trossard grabbed his second at Portman Road before Ethan Nwaneri capped off the display with a deflected effort.

Mikel Arteta and his players are unbeaten in their last 11 games – the perfect form heading into their Champions semi-final tie.

The scheduling for tonight’s game has hugely benefitted the Gunners. Initially, this fixture would have been played at the weekend, but Palace’s FA Cup tie has pushed the occasion forward. They will now have six days to prepare for the semi-final first leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

Crystal Palace: DWLLD

A 10-man Palace side battled hard to earn a point against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Referee Sam Barrott prematurely ended Chris Richards’ afternoon by showing the American a second yellow in first-half stoppage time.

Oliver Glasner’s outfit showed character in keeping a clean sheet with one player less, especially after conceding five in their previous two matches away to Manchester City and Newcastle United.

Remarkably, the results of their 33 league games are split evenly. They have 11 wins, 11 draws and 11 losses to their name.

Naturally, their FA Cup semi-final in three days’ time will compromise their focus on tonight’s trip to North London. The Eagles face Aston Villa under the Wembley arch with a place in the final at stake.

Last Meeting: Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal, Premier League, 21st December 2024

A five-star display from Mikel Arteta’s side saw them dissect Palace at Selhurst Park in December.

Arsenal commenced the contest with intent and struck their first in the sixth minute. Bukayo Saka’s deep delivery eventually broke to Gabriel Jesus, who calmly slotted in the opener.

Palace were only behind for five minutes as Ismalia Sarr ruthlessly drew them level. The Senegalese forward carried the ball into the box before bending a cultured shot into the bottom corner.

Only three days earlier, Jesus had netted a hat-trick against the Eagles in the Carabao Cup quarter-final. Almost instantly after the Eagles’ equaliser the Brazilian recorded his brace.

A corner culminated in Jesus curling in a finish so accurate that it beat Dean Henderson at his near post.

Jean-Philippe Mateta then had a glorious opportunity to restore the deadlock for a second time but David Raya smothered his close-range attempt. Up the other end, Gabriel’s towering header cannoned off the crossbar.

The visitors scored another goal before the end of the first period, with Jesus involved once again.

Arsenal’s number nine was denied successive hat-tricks by the upright but Kai Havertz was perfectly placed to convert the rebound.

On the hour mark, another Brazilian found himself on the scoresheet. In the build-up, Henderson’s right foot blocked a shot from Jesus that fell into Declan Rice’s possession. The midfielder drilled goalward and Gabriel Martinelli ensured the goalkeeper couldn’t frustrate his side again. A simple tap-in sufficed and the 23-year-old wheeled off to soak in the adulation from the travelling support.

Rice grabbed Arsenal’s fifth of the evening in the closing stages with an inch-perfect strike into the corner following a graceful turn.

Oliver Glasner and his players simply couldn’t compete with the sheer ruthlessness of the Gunners in Croydon.

Predicted Lineups

Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Partey; Nwaneri, Odegaard, Trossard; Merino.

Crystal Palace: Henderson; Munoz, Clyne, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell; Lerma, Hughes; Sarr, Kamada, Nketiah.

Who is the referee?

Michael Salisbury will be the match official. Mat Wilkes and Mark Scholes will assist him while Steve Martin will be the fourth official.  Alex Chilowicz is on VAR duty while Adrian Holmes will assist him.

What TV channel is Arsenal vs Crystal Palace on?

Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Go UK and NOW UK is the place to watch Arsenal vs Crystal Palace.

What time is kick-off?

Kick-off at the Emirates Stadium will be at 20:00 BST on Wednesday 23rd April 2025.

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Betting Odds

Arsenal: 2/5

Draw: 17/5

Crystal Palace: 8/1

Read – Five relegated players Premier League teams should sign

See more – When can Liverpool win the Premier League title?

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