The English Premier League is back this weekend with a handful of intriguing fixtures as half of the clubs in the top flight rest up during their portion of the winter break. There’s still so much left to be decided as we continue on through January, and it’s hard not to be excited about what’s to come. Today, we’ll be taking a look at what should be a fun clash between Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
Arsenal Form GuideWhile Arsenal have the experience of being involved in a title race following their battle with Manchester City last season, there are still plenty of question marks surrounding this squad and their ability to keep up with frontrunners. Mikel Arteta knows the challenge that lies ahead, and as we continue through the new year, it’ll be interesting to see how he copes with the pressure.
Ever since their win over Brighton, Arsenal have really struggled to get anything going. They drew with Liverpool in the league, lost 2-0 to West Ham, lost 2-1 to Fulham, and then suffered a 2-0 defeat against the red half of Merseyside in the FA Cup.
Crystal Palace Form GuideWhile Roy Hodgson’s return to Selhurst Park initially went quite well, it certainly seems as if the wheels are starting to fall off. The Eagles are full of talent from top to bottom but sometimes, when the direction of the club isn’t quite right, you need to make a shift. For the veteran gaffer, the next few games may well serve as a do or die situation at Crystal Palace.
Palace did well to earn a point against Manchester City and Brighton before a narrow 2-1 defeat to Chelsea. They did bounce back with a win over Brentford, but after 180 minutes of hard-fought football against Everton, they were knocked out of the FA Cup.
Match PredictionThere’s no such thing as a safe result for the Gunners right now as they continue to struggle to find any kind of consistency. Palace, meanwhile, don’t have a whole lot to lose, but they also aren’t the most exciting team to watch. In our view, the most likely outcome is still an Arsenal win.
