Arsenal’s title hopes took a hit as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners took an early lead when centre-back Jakub Kiwior planted an excellent header past Dean Henderson from a Martin Odegaard free-kick in the third minute. However, Palace equalized through a cleverly worked set-piece in the 27th minute, with Eberechi Eze volleying his shot into the ground and the ball hitting the post before making its way into the net.
Leandro Trossard gave Arsenal the lead just before half-time when he picked up a pass from Jurrien Timber and squeezed a shot into the bottom corner. However, Palace continued to push for an equalizer and had good opportunities with headers from Justin Devenny and Ismaila Sarr, but neither could get a good contact on the ball. The Eagles eventually leveled the game through substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta, who produced an excellent chipped finish over stranded Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya after William Saliba gifted him the ball with a loose pass.
The draw leaves Liverpool one point away from clinching the Premier League title, with a draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday enough to secure the championship. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed concerns over the absence of Ben White and Mikel Merino from the squad due to injury. When asked if they would be fit to face PSG on Tuesday, Arteta said, “We will have to wait and see as they were not able to be in the squad here.”
Arteta also discussed the team’s strategy ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain, saying, “This match was always going to be tricky for me to navigate with Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg looming.” He added that Leandro Trossard is likely to start in the central striking role next week, given Mikel Merino’s suspension and Thomas Partey’s injury.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner was pleased with his team’s performance, saying, “Everything went how we wanted.” He added that Palace will need to defend better than at the Emirates if they are to reach the FA Cup final.
Match Facts
- Goals: Arsenal – J. Kiwior (3′), L. Trossard (42′); Crystal Palace – E. Eze (27′), J. Mateta (83′)
- Assists: Arsenal – M. Ødegaard (3′), J. Timber (42′); Crystal Palace – A. Wharton (27′)
- Possession: Not specified
- Shots: Not specified
- Shots on target: Not specified
- Attendance: 60,167
The draw is Arsenal’s 13th in the Premier League this season, and Arteta acknowledged that the team’s title challenge has faltered. The Gunners will now focus on their Champions League semi-final against PSG, while Crystal Palace looks ahead to their FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa.