Arsenal seek to reignite their Premier League title bid against London rivals, Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium.
Victory would see Arsenal climb to third in the table – although a win by nine goals or more would see them move up to second.
Palace meanwhile can leapfrog Fulham into 13th with a win.
Team News
Gabriel Jesus is set to return for Arsenal following his recovery from a knee injury.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) and Jorginho (unspecified) are doubtful for selection unless match-fit.
Mohamed Elneny, Takehiro Tomiyasu (both international duty), Jurrien Timbers (knee), Fabio Vieira (groin) and Thomas Partey (muscle) remain absent.
Palace have no fresh injury concerns to report after they suffered a FA Cup Third Round replay exit at Everton in midweek.
Jordan Ayew (international duty), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Joel Ward (both hamstring), Rob Holding (ankle), Michael Olise (thigh) and Cheick Docoure (Achilles) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Arsenal host Palace at Emirates Stadium on Saturday 20 January at 12:30pm GMT, live on TNT Sport 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal are unbeaten in eight of their last nine league meetings against Palace (W4, D4, L1).
- Palace have lost one of their last five meetings against Arsenal (W1, D3, L1).
- Arsenal have kept one clean sheet in their last six matches at home to Palace.
- 29 of Bukayo Saka’s 49 shots for Arsenal in the Premier League this season were produced at home.
- Joachim Andersen has made more interceptions than any other Palace player this season, with 21 interceptions in 20 appearances.
Prediction
Following their fortnight break in warmer climates, Arsenal should be under no illusion that this is a must-win game if they want to get bang right back into the title race – especially after enduring a wasteful FA Cup exit against league leaders – Liverpool in their last outing.
In fact Mikel Arteta’s Gunners should be frustrated at how poor their end product has been in six of their last seven games in all competitions, but that must change quickly in this London derby if they want to return to winning ways and avoid another failed title fight.
Palace meanwhile are on the cusp of the relegation fight and after a lacklustre FA Cup exit at Everton in their midweek Third Round replay, Roy Hodgson’s Eagles have their own end product issues to sort out despite their decent form in recent visits to Arsenal.
On that note you can’t help but wonder if this game might end up boiling down to which team is more clinical, and I do feel that Arsenal will have that edge purely on their home form despite losing their last two at Emirates Stadium in all competitions amidst in-game dominance.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace
Result: Arsenal 5-0 Crystal Palace
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