It’s Crystal Palace at house at this time, in our last sport earlier than the Interlull.
On condition that Man Metropolis had been in FA Cup motion yesterday (spanking Burnley 6-0), this one takes on much more significance by advantage of the actual fact it provides us an opportunity to open up an 8 level lead on the prime of the desk. Even when Metropolis would have a sport in hand, it’s a chance we will’t afford to overlook.
By way of group information, from what we all know neither William Saliba or Takehiro Tomiyasu will likely be accessible. We await information on the latter, though he has been withdrawn from the Japan squad; whereas L’Equipe are reporting the previous will likely be out for ‘a number of weeks’. Hopefully he can use the worldwide break for restoration, however it’s a blow to lose two vital defenders.
That can imply Rob Holding coming into the again 4 at this time, beginning his first Premier League sport of the season. We should always see Thomas Partey again to anchor midfield, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka will begin after being rested in midweek, and I feel Leandro Trossard will get the nod up entrance. It’s nice that Gabriel Jesus is again, however I don’t assume it might be smart – having been out for therefore lengthy – to start out him twice in three days, even when he solely performed 45 minutes in opposition to Sporting.
Final outing, Trossard supplied a hat-trick of assists, so I feel he’s earned his place. It will create a aggressive surroundings because the season goes into the enterprise finish, however that basically is the perfect form of drawback a supervisor can have. On the left, regardless of taking part in the complete sport in opposition to Sporting, I anticipate Gabriel Martinelli to start out, until Arteta springs a little bit of a shock.
As for Palace, we all know their current file has been unhealthy, and Patrick Vieira paid for that together with his job, however we must always not take something without any consideration at this time. They’re very a lot within the relegation battle, and that’s loads of motivation in and of itself. Once you have a look at the video games we’ve left, mainly each single one is in opposition to opposition taking part in for one thing due to how tight it’s at each ends of the desk. Whether or not it’s scrapping to remain up or preventing for Europe, that is the truth we’re dealing with.
And whereas Palace’s outcomes haven’t been nice, it’s not as in the event that they had been getting battered each week. Man Metropolis wanted a late penalty to take all three factors final week, they’ve additionally drawn with Liverpool and Man Utd, so I’m positive the supervisor can have advised his gamers they’re in for a probably powerful afternoon at this time. They are going to in all probability arrange in a defensive/counter-attacking system, and that may – as we all know fantastic nicely – be powerful to interrupt down. I feel we’re going to should work actually exhausting, with most effectivity up entrance wanted, for 3 factors afterward.
However no person ever stated it was going to be simple. These are the challenges you face once you’re taking part in for the most important prize there may be in a home season, and let’s hope we’re prepared for it at this time.
Proper, I’m gonna go away it there. It’s a barely shorter one than regular, however I’m over for the sport, and have to kind myself out and get going.
There’s a preview podcast over on Patreon so that you can cross a number of the time, and hopefully see a few of you within the normal spots a bit afterward.
Come on Arsenal!
