Crystal Palace vs Arsenal – News and Probable Lineups

After accepting the Premier League trophy and amidst the customary guard of honour, newly crowned champions Arsenal will conclude a successful season with an away fixture against their London counterparts Crystal Palace this Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners secured their championship title on Tuesday, courtesy of Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, while Crystal Palace, who are focused on a potential Conference League finish, have little more than pride to strive for in this encounter.

Match overview

Between May 19 and May 30, Arsenal will exclusively indulge in celebratory champagne, leaving the sorrows of previous seasons behind.

Unlike their previous stint as runners-up in the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 seasons, Arsenal has finally exchanged their silver medals for a gold Premier League badge, achieving this feat 22 years after their last triumph.

Fans experienced a nail-biting moment when Erling Haaland equalized for Manchester City against Bournemouth on Tuesday, but the Cherries holding for a draw allowed the chaos in North London to begin.

While Arsenal may not be deemed the most thrilling Premier League champions in history, a win on Sunday would mark the end of the season with a solid 85 points. This total surpasses that of Liverpool in 2024-25, Leicester City in 2015-16, and seven of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United squads.

Red and white enthusiasts may have their minds elsewhere this weekend, yet Arsenal tends to wrap up seasons on a high, having won their last 14 Premier League matchday 38 fixtures while remaining unbeaten for 21 consecutive years, following their 2004-05 defeat to Birmingham City.

Arsenal’s end-of-season momentum faces off against Palace’s record of remaining unbeaten in matchday 38 fixtures; the Eagles have never succumbed in their 12 top-flight final-day encounters hosted at Selhurst Park, with eight wins to their name.

The Selhurst Park crowd would not mind if that streak is interrupted this Sunday, especially since while Arsenal pursues success in the Champions League final, Oliver Glasner’s side is aiming for victory in the Conference League next week in Leipzig.

The Eagles’ advancement to the third-tier continental final has come at the expense of their league form, struggling in their last six Premier League outings without a win and could potentially finish the season as low as 16th if Nottingham Forest gets the better of Bournemouth.

Additionally, Palace conceded at least two goals in their last five Premier League matches, squandering two leads in a 2-2 draw against Brentford, and have only managed four home victories throughout the season.

Last season at Selhurst Park saw a dominant 5-1 win for Arsenal, with the Gunners claiming eight victories in their last nine encounters against Crystal Palace, who suffered a loss in October at the Emirates courtesy of former player Eberechi Eze.

Team News

Crystal Palace faced Brentford with considerable defensive setbacks, as Maxence Lacroix, Chadi Riad, and Chris Richards all absorbed injuries, with the latter certainly ruled out against Arsenal due to torn ankle ligaments.

Glasner remains optimistic that Riad and Lacroix endured nothing but cramping issues; however, if either is unavailable, Jefferson Lerma or Nathaniel Clyne may need to shift into an improvised centre-back role.

Borna Sosa has managed to overcome an unspecified concern and may be called upon as Glasner places emphasis on the Conference League, while Cheick Doucoure (fitness) and ex-Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah (thigh) are sidelined.

On Arsenal’s side, the injured pair Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber were spotted participating in training this week, with the former believed to have a strong chance of making an appearance this Sunday.

David Raya, William Saliba, and Bukayo Saka share a similar situation, although they engaged in individual training routines on Thursday; Timber remains a significant doubt for both the Champions League final and the World Cup.

Nevertheless, some key players may be rested as Arteta opts for rotation prior to Budapest, allowing opportunities for players like Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, and possibly Gabriel Jesus, who could don an Arsenal shirt for the final time.

Crystal Palace probable starting XI:

Blessedness; Canvot, Riad, Lacroix; Munoz, Lerma, Hughes, Sosa; Sarr, Johnson; Larsen Beach

Arsenal probable starting XI:

Kepa; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Lewis-Skelly; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli

Arteta and Glasner find themselves in a unique situation; both devoid of objectives domestically, both eager to avert injuries ahead of their respective European finals, yet both equally committed to maintaining morale ahead of continental competition.

However, with rotations anticipated from both teams and the World Cup looming over player minds, a cautious end-of-season draw seems the most probable result.

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