The 2022/23 Premier League season gets underway on Friday night, with Arsenal facing Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
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 for a better start to this season than the previous campaign. Summer signings Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have looked sharp in pre-season, whilst the return of William Saliba from his loan spell has boosted the defensive ranks.
Arsenal's last trip to Selhurst Park was one to forget, a 3-0 defeat to Palace played a big role in the Gunners missing out on a top-four spot. But, ahead of the opening day clash, Arteta has been given a boost, with three players back in training after injury lay-offs.
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Speaking to the press ahead of the game, Arteta confirmed that Takehiro Tomiyasu, Fabio Viera and Kieran Tierney are 'probably' returning before the game, putting them in contention for selection. Emile Smith-Rowe is the only player set to be absent.
So, what lineups will both managers select? Who will emerge on top in the first game of the Premier League season? Let’s take a look.
Crystal Palace v Arsenal score predicted by simulation
To complete this simulation, we used FIFA 22 and updated the squads with the latest transfers. Due to FIFA 22 not having the latest kits, both sides lined up in the kits from the 2021/22 season.
We predict that Palace could set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their line-up as follows: Guaita; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp; Ayew, Mateta, Zaha.
We predict that Arsenal could set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with their line-up as follows: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus.
From minute one, Arsenal were on top and controlling the game in the Palace half. A few chances fell the Gunners' way with nothing to show for it, but Arteta's side did eventually take the lead through Bukayo Saka.
After some clever play down the left, Zinchenko found Gabriel Martinelli just outside the box who curled a powerful shot towards goal. Vicente Guaita scrambled across the goal but spilt his save into the path of Saka, leaving an open goal for the winger to fire home.
It was a deserved goal for Arsenal, with Arteta's side having had six shots in the opening 25 minutes. Moments later, an unstoppable shot from Thomas Partey made it 2-0.
Jesus received the ball with his back to goal just inside the box, and with no options, the Brazilian rolled the ball back to Partey. About 25-yards from goal, the midfielder rifled a powerful shot across goal and into the top corner, leaving the 'keeper with no chance.
Palace came out a new side at the beginning of the second half, having a 10-minute spell of control. But, nothing came from it and Arsenal regained control before making it 3-0 with 15 minutes remaining.
A short corner saw substitute Eddie Nketiah receive the ball just inside the box, and the forward chipped a cross to the near post where Ben White was waiting, unmarked. White stabbed at the ball, managing to poke it through a gap in a sea of Palace bodies and into the net.
FIFA 22 predicted final score: Crystal Palace 0-3 Arsenal
Here are the full-time match stats.
FIFA 22 predicts that a dominant Arsenal display could hand them a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Friday, the perfect start to the Premier League season. Goals from Saka, Partey and White confirmed the three points as Palace rarely troubled the Gunners' goal.
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