Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Sunday 16th August, 13:30
Crystal Palace welcome Arsenal to Selhurst Park this weekend hoping to add to their winning start to the Premier League season, after they beat Norwich at Carrow Road last week. Arsenal currently sit in the relegation zone after being defeated at home to West Ham but will be hoping to kick-start their season with a win at Palace.
Yohan Cabaye returned to the Premier League last week and looked as though he had never left. Cabaye announced his return by getting on the scoresheet and putting in a great performance to add to it. Cabaye showed a range of passing, with 78.8% of his passes being short, and 22.2% long range. Cabaye will be facing up against Santi Cazorla, who despite Arsenals loss, was at his creative best last weekend. Cazorla set up five goalscoring opportunities for his teammates and made 55 passes in the opposition half, the fourth most in the league.
Wilfried Zaha also scored last week and was one of the stand out players before he was withdrawn on 78 minutes. Zaha was a constant threat, completing five successful dribbles, and a top speed of 32.6km/h. Nacho Monreal should feel confident that he can deal with the pace of Zaha, as he himself clocked in at 34km/h, the eighth fastest speed recorded last week. Monreal won 61.1% of his duels last week and will be hoping to win the majority again against Crystal Palace.
The fastest player on the pitch according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index will be Yannick Bolasie. Bolasie recorded the third fastest speed in the division, 34.3km/h, and Arsenal right back Matthieu Debuchy will be wary of this. Debucy won 66.7% of his duels last week, but with a top speed of 29.5 km/h will have to be at his very best to contain Bolasie.
Olivier Giroud was the man chosen to lead the line for Arsenal last week against West Ham. Giroud put two of his four shots on target last week and will have to improve further in order to beat Alex McCarthy. McCarthy made the second most saves in the Premier League, four, and made the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index Team Of The Week. Giroud will provide a threat in the air to McCarthy, having won 66.7% of his aerial duels last weekend. Giroud is 17/4 to score first with 888sport.com.
Crystal Palace v Arsenal Match Facts
- Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 12 visits to Selhurst Park in all competitions. Their only defeat at the ground came in the old Division One in November 1979 when David Swindlehurst scored the only goal of the match (P18, W10, D7, L1).
- Palace are winless in 11 games against Arsenal since a 2-1 victory at Highbury in the Premier League in 1994.
- Crystal Palace won their opening top-flight game for only the second time in 44 years. They have never won their opening two matches in the top division.
- Alan Pardew has equalled the most number of wins by a Crystal Palace boss in the Premier League (11) even though he has only been in charge for 19 games,
- The Gunners have not started a season with successive league defeats since the inaugural Premier League season of 1992-93.
- They have won five and drawn one of their last six away matches in the league. Only Chelsea earned more away points than Arsenal’s tally of 34 last season.
Stats courtesy BBC
Crystal Palace v Arsenal Possible Lineups:
Crystal Palace: McCarthy, Ward, Delaney, Dann, Souare, Ledley, Cabaye, McArthur, Zaha, Puncheon, Murray
Arsenal: Cech, Debuchy, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla. Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez, Walcott
Crystal Palace v Arsenal Prediction:
A 1-2 win for the away side.
Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars with at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate team.