Arsenal are on top of the world and the Premier League table. Tuesday’s 4-0 battering of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League league stage at the Emirates was a statement win that extended the Gunners’
winning run to four matches on the bounce. It’s early days yet, but the Gunners have made their intentions known in both the PL and the CL competitions.
After passing Tuesday’s big test with flying colors, Mikel Arteta’s side face another stern challenge on Sunday when they welcome Crystal Palace to the Emirates for a London derby that has rapidly grown in significance. Palace’s rise under Oliver Glasner has seen the London club rocket up the table as the Eagles have become one of the league’s most entertaining, attack-minded sides.
Arsenal’s lead at the top is far from safe. A mere three points separate them from Manchester City, and a host of clubs are nipping on their heels, eager to take advantage of an Arsenal slip-up. The Gunners have begun to find their footing with an elite defense and unrivaled depth, but even the best teams can be caught if they aren’t locked in. The margins are incredibly narrow with the season a quarter of the way through. With a ruthlessly efficient opponent coming to the Emirates, can Arsenal keep their focus and keep the wins coming?
Here are three talking points ahead of Sunday’s match:
Know the Enemy
This isn’t your grandpa’s Crystal Palace. The London club have gone from mid table misery to hoisting trophies, due in large part to manager Oliver Glasner. The Austrian manager has changed the trajectory of the club since joining in 2024, culminating in the Eagles’ first-ever major trophy when they won last season’s FA Cup over Manchester City. They followed that up with a Community Shield victory against Liverpool to begin the 25/26 season, doubling the club’s top flight trophies in just a few short months.
Though star midfielder Eberechi Eze left Palace to join Arsenal over the summer, they haven’t skipped a beat. They sit 8th in the table, but a win on Sunday could propel them to as high as 2nd place. A lot of that is due to their attack, which has registered a league-high xG of 17.38 and league-high 43 shots on target through the first 8 matches. Striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has continued on last season’s impressive form with 5 goals already following a hat-trick against Bournemouth last weekend, trailing only mutant freak Erling Haaland (11) in the race for the Golden Boot.
But they are more than just Mateta and the attack. Their defense, anchored by Marc Guehi, is one of the better sides in the leagues in tackles and Mikel Arteta’s beloved duels. Taking them on man-for-man is a tall order, and something Arteta will have been agonizing over for the last several days.
They enter Sunday’s match winless in their last three after a 19 match unbeaten run that extended back to last season. Thursday’s loss to AEK Larnaca in the Conference League was a sobering wake-up call for the Eagles, but they remain a talented side that have a knack for staying in games late-on. If the Gunners cannot find a way to put distance between them and the visitors early, it could become an uncomfortably tense match down the stretch.
Injuries & Suspensions
Try as they might, Arsenal cannot seem to avoid picking up a new injury every few matches. On Friday, it was reported that Gabriel Magalhaes is a doubt for Sunday after leaving the pitch with a minor issue on Tuesday. His absence could be costly, but he has not been officially ruled out.
The remaining injured players are still working towards availability, with Kai Havertz reportedly making big strides in his recovery as he aims to return in the coming weeks. Noni Madueke is not far behind, and with any luck (and no setbacks), they and Martin Ødegaard should all be back by the end of the next international break.
OUT: Kai Havertz (knee), Noni Madueke (knee), Martin Ødegaard (MCL), Gabriel Jesus (ACL)
Predicted Lineup
Attack: Trossard, Gyökeres, Saka
Leandro Trossard has been first choice on the left as of late, and the Belgian was given a bit of welcome rest against Atletico on Tuesday night. He seems to be Arteta’s preferred left wing option against sides that play more compact in the defense, so he gets the nod on the weekend. Viktor Gyökeres is back on the score sheet and will be eager to build on his MOTM performance back in front of the Emirates crowd. Bukayo Saka is back in the best way, putting in a series of commanding performances off the right since returning from the break.
Midfield: Rice, Zubimendi, Eze
Eberechi Eze has been a bit off the mark lately, and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if he’s given a rest against his former club in favor of Ethan Nwaneri at the 10. But I think Arteta will continue to give Eze starts with Ødegaard out. He has too much quality to keep off the pitch. Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi are undroppable in their current form, and I don’t think anyone could make an argument about leaving them on the bench at the moment.
Defense: Calafiori, Mosquera, Saliba, Timber
Don’t get me wrong – Myles Lewis-Skelly has earned the chance for more match time after Tuesday. He was dogged in defense, and his run to set up Martinelli’s goal was simply sublime. But Riccardo Calafiori brings a different level to the defense in what he adds going forward that Arteta seems to favor. Either are a fine option for the left. If Gabriel is unable to play, Cristhian Mosquera is a more than capable backup, and physical enough to rise to the challenge that Mateta presents. William Saliba and Jurrien Timber will be instrumental in shepherding one of the league’s better attacks as they look to extend their clean sheet streak to five matches.
Keeper: Raya
David Raya had another solid night on Tuesday. Save for his nearly-disastrous decision in the first half to chase down a loose ball outside of the box, he wasn’t meaningfully threatened beyond a long-range Julian Alvarez effort that rattled off the crossbar and a late shot that ended his streak of matches without facing a shot on target.
Arsenal are riding a wave of momentum that has the brightest of spotlights shining on them. Outlets are already tipping them as the title favorites, even with 30 matches left to play. Raised expectations aren’t something they aren’t used to, but having come so close and falling short in three successive seasons, the pressure to finally get over the line is at an all-time high. Managing the outside noise has been an Arteta specialty, and it will be up to the players to play the game they know and manage the matches as they come. Palace are a tough foe, but the Gunners have shown in abundance this season that they relish the chance to continue proving their pedigree.
WHO: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
WHAT: Premier League match day 9
WHEN: Sunday, October 26th, 10:00am EST/7:00am PST/3:00pm GMT
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
HOW TO WATCH: Streaming live on the Peacock and Amazon Prime Video apps.
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