Arsenal are looking for a fifth straight win in all competitions as they host Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium knowing a win could elevate them into the top half of the table.
Palace for their part are not all that far behind their London rivals with 22 points to Arsenal's 23 and have nothing to focus on but the Premier League after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Wolverhampton Wanderers in the third round. Here is how you can watch the match and everything you need to know.
Viewing information
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 14
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Emirates Stadium -- London, United Kingdom
- TV: NBCSN
- Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
- Odds: Arsenal -182; Draw +300; Crystal Palace +550 (via William Hill Sportsbook)
Storylines
Arsenal: Two unheralded center backs have become that rarest of things in the Arsenal side: a solid defensive pairing. Rob Holding and Pablo Mari cost a combined $13.5million from lower league Bolton Wanderers and Brazilian giants Flamengo and while neither is necessarily viewed as a long-term starter under Mikel Arteta both have performed ably since being thrust together on Boxing Day, conceding one goal in four games since.
Holding's reward has been a new contract through to at least 2024 with technical director Edu praising his "great quality and maturity on and off the pitch". He is likely to retain his berth on the back of the central defensive pairing but Gabriel, excellent since his arrival from Lille last summer, will be hoping to step in for Mari. For once an Arsenal manager has a welcome dilemma when it comes to setting out his defense.
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Crystal Palace: A trip to the Emirates Stadium for Wilfried Zaha rather feels like when gameshow hosts are what they could have won with the Ivory Coast international having been snubbed by Arsenal in the summer of 2019 when they instead signing Nicolas Pepe. This will be a game to prove them wrong and he certainly believes the Gunners made the wrong call.
"I just think if there's a player who plays in the Premier League who you see week in, week out, and you know what he does... I feel like it's a no-brainer," he said on the Greatest Games podcast.
Prediction
Arsenal's momentum is building and both in attack and defence they look a greatly improved force, one that ought to be able to secure a comfortable win over Palace. PICK: Arsenal (-182)
