Arsenal used their previous trip to Selhurst Park as a springboard to a title challenge, and expectations are now even higher than they were last August.
Mikel Arteta’s team started last season with a hard-fought, Friday night win at Palace, when they produced an electric opening 20 minutes with new signings Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to the fore. Now Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber (lost to long-term injury) have been added to a squad which won 84 Premier League points, and there is pressure on Arsenal to deliver tangible success after two years of progress.
They have three points on the board after a relatively routine victory over Nottingham Forest, when Arteta introduced some new tactical ideas. Arsenal’s first-choice XI was set in stone last season, but now Arteta has more choices to make as he attempts to ensure his squad lasts the distance. Will Gabriel Magalhães return? Will Thomas Partey continue as a right-back-cum-central midfielder? Will Declan Rice play high or deep? Will Havertz, Eddie Nketiah or Leandro Trossard be picked up front? For perhaps the first time in his Arsenal reign, it is difficult to read Arteta’s preferences. That has potential pitfalls as well as benefits.
Palace were utterly dominant in their opening day win at Sheffield United when they amassed 24 shots on goal and had 68 per cent possession, which is distinctly un-Palace like. In Premier League football in 2023, only Manchester City have conceded fewer than Palace’s 1.19 expected goals per game, so they are very solid in Roy Hodgson’s defensive shape, which tends to be a narrow 4-4-2. Wilfried Zaha has left for Turkey and Michael Olise is injured, so this Palace team does not quite carry the offensive threat of old. That said, the hard graft on Jordan Ayew and Jeffrey Schlupp (who used to be a left-back) could be useful tonight as Palace seek to counter Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on the flanks.
Will their defensive rigour frustrate Arsenal or leave the home side looking toothless? We shall see. It feels like the game will be decided by the speed and accuracy of Arsenal’s play around the box.
Full team news on the way shortly.