With Arsenal in pole position to secure the fourth Champions League spot, many Gunners’ fans were relieved to see the back of the international break and return of the Premier League this weekend.
Mikel Arteta’s men return to action with a tricky trip across London to Selhurst Park where they’ll take on Crystal Palace. The Eagles have enjoyed a steady first campaign under former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira so far and sit within the relative comfort of 12th in the table.
They also have a FA Cup semi-final to look forward to after hammering Everton 4-0 in the quarter-final prior to the international break. The mood in the camp will therefore be high, meaning Palace won’t be a team that’s easy to overcome.
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Arsenal boast a points advantage and games in hand over their top-four rivals, meaning this clash isn’t a ‘must win’ on paper. Yet anything less than three points would hand a boost to the chasing pack and more than likely see the points deficit reduced, therefore securing a victory will remain a priority for Arteta.
Although Palace are a tough nut to crack, there is often a decisive factor within their games that Arsenal must do all they can to get on the right side of, and that’s scoring the game’s first goal. The opening goal of a game is often important, however, this is particularly relevant when it comes to Palace. They have scored first in 13 Premier League matches this season and haven’t suffered a single loss after doing so (W7, D6, L0). Only four other Premier League sides can boast such a record after scoring first this season.
While that’s impressive, it’s a vastly contrasting story when it comes to the opposition scoring first against them. Palace have conceded first on 13 occasions in the league so far and notably have failed to win any of the matches in which they did (W0, D4, L9). Only one other side - Burnley - have failed to secure all three points after falling behind first.
On Monday then, drawing first blood could well be key to winning the match. This might persuade Arteta to opt for an attacking starting lineup with the aim of trying to get in front early on. Because if Arsenal do, then there’s every chance that could give them the decisive platform needed to secure all three points.
