After Wednesday's five-goal extravaganza in the EFL Cup quarter-finals, Saturday's Premier League London derby between midweek foes Crystal Palace and Arsenal has a lot to live up to.
Crystal Palace:
Crystal Palace may have come out second best in their midweek EFL Cup quarter-final clash with Arsenal, but they will take heart from their competitive showing, particularly in the first half. Despite a 3-2 defeat, the Eagles were strong in the opening stages and even took the lead through Jean-Philippe Mateta. Palace had every reason to feel aggrieved about some of the officiating, particularly regarding Gabriel Jesus' second goal, which appeared to be offside. This match comes on the back of a five-match unbeaten run, which included an impressive 3-1 win at Brighton, putting them in 15th place in the Premier League. However, with just one home win in the league this season, Palace will need to improve at Selhurst Park, especially with the relegation zone still looming just four points away.
Arsenal:
Arsenal come into this derby with high confidence, having extended their unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions following a 3-2 win over Palace in midweek. Gabriel Jesus' long-awaited goal spree in the EFL Cup, including a match-winning performance, should serve as a boost for the Brazilian striker and the team as a whole. Although their league form has been inconsistent, with two recent draws against Everton and Fulham, Arteta’s men are still well-placed in the title race, only six points behind Liverpool. Arsenal have been dominant in London derbies, remaining unbeaten in their last nine such matches, and they will look to continue that trend against a Palace side they have beaten in their last five Premier League encounters. With a near full-strength squad, the Gunners will aim to assert their superiority at Selhurst Park and keep their momentum going as they push for a top-four finish.
Prediction:1-2
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal stream and TV listing
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