Mikel Arteta’s side are flying high after six straight wins in all competitions, while Oliver Glasner’s men are battling to regain their footing, having failed to win any of their last three games in both domestic and European competition.
Set pieces have become one of Arsenal’s most dangerous weapons under specialist coach Nicolas Jover, and their ability to capitalize on them once again made the difference in last weekend’s narrow London derby against Fulham.
Leandro Trossard scored from close range to give the Gunners a 1-0 victory, marking their 10th set-piece goal in just eight Premier League games this season — the fastest any team has ever reached double figures from dead-ball situations in league history.
The win kept Arsenal on top of the Premier League, now sitting above a wounded Liverpool, with Manchester City trailing closely by three points. Another clean sheet this weekend would see Arteta’s team match a unique record — becoming only the second side to go three consecutive Premier League matches without facing a single shot on target, a feat last achieved by City in 2014.
During their 4-0 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid in midweek, goalkeeper David Raya had little to do, as Arsenal showed their dominance in open play to complement their set-piece success.
At the other end, Crystal Palace also needed a dead-ball to salvage a result last weekend. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s 97th-minute penalty earned the Eagles a 3-3 draw against Bournemouth, capping off a dramatic match that saw the French striker score a hat-trick.
In doing so, Mateta joined an elite group of French players — Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry — as only the third to record multiple Premier League hat-tricks. However, he could have had a fourth goal but missed a late chance to seal the win.
That result was followed by a disappointing midweek defeat in Europe, as Palace fell 1-0 to AEK Larnaca in the Conference League, with Jaydee Canvot’s error proving costly and a number of missed chances compounding their misery.
Once unbeaten in 19 matches across all competitions, Glasner’s side have now lost two of their last three and appear to be losing their defensive resilience. They have managed just one clean sheet in seven games, conceding six goals across their last three outings.
Palace’s recent record against Arsenal offers little optimism either. They have lost five of their last six Premier League meetings with the Gunners, though they did snatch a 2-2 draw at the Emirates last season, thanks to another late strike from Mateta.
Arteta’s men enter Sunday’s London derby full of confidence and rhythm, while Palace will be desperate to prove they can still compete with the league’s top sides. With Arsenal in such fine form — and boasting both set-piece precision and defensive solidity — the odds are heavily stacked in favor of the home side.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal’s midweek victory came at a cost, as Gabriel Magalhães was forced off with a thigh injury and is now a major doubt for Sunday’s Premier League clash. In his absence, Cristhian Mosquera is expected to return to the heart of the defence.
While Piero Hincapié offers a natural option on the left side, the Ecuadorian has featured for just one minute this season, making a starting role highly unlikely.
Elsewhere, Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard, and Noni Madueke remain sidelined until after the international break. Gabriel Jesus, who tormented Crystal Palace last season, continues his recovery from an ACL injury and is targeting a comeback toward the end of 2025 or early 2026.
Following their dominant win over Atlético Madrid, manager Mikel Arteta is expected to stick with nearly the same lineup — with the only change likely to be Riccardo Calafiori replacing Myles Lewis-Skelly on the left side of the back four.
As for Crystal Palace, there are no new injury concerns ahead of their trip to the Emirates. The Eagles remain without Caleb Kporha (back), Cheick Doucouré (knee), and Chadi Riad (knee).
It was a night to forget for centre-back Canvot on Thursday, whose misplaced backpass led to AEK Larnaca’s winning goal in the Conference League. The new signing was substituted on the hour mark, and Chris Richards is expected to reclaim his place in the starting XI.
Former Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah came off the bench for Canvot in that match, but he’s unlikely to start on Sunday, with Jean-Philippe Mateta firmly leading the line after scoring eight of his last nine Premier League goals in London.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Mosquera, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Pino, Sarr; Mateta
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
