GUNNERS BLANK
Canny Hodgson marshals his Palace troops to stall Arsenal’s winning run
THE GOVERNMENT need not have worried – there were not many hugs at the Emirates last night but there was plenty of stubbornness.
Crystal Palace arrived determined not to let Arsenal continue their run to the sunlit uplands of the league, and they succeeded.
Palace were superbly organised, utterly focused and created the better chances on a miserable, rainy night at the Emirates.
James Tomkins and Christian Benteke went closest to causing any danger to the social distancing going on, with two great chances.
For Arsenal, their good run was brought to a grinding halt.
Boss Mikel Arteta, in a crisis three weeks ago, may have clawed his way out of that but there are still plenty of questions about his side.
Palace were by far the better side for long spells after Arsenal started nervously and sloppily.
Andros Townsend curled a drive over the bar and Eberechi Eze wasted a freekick from the same range.
The Gunners’ problems were exemplified by Ainsley
Maitland-Niles back-pass only his own post.
It also took a superb tackle from Granit Xhaka to deny Wilfried Zaha when the Palace winger carved his way through.
At the other end, PierreEmerick Aubameyang tested Vicente Guaita with a stinging drive and Bukayo Saka shot straight at the keeper.
But they were isolated moments, as Arteta hopped nervously about on the touchline. Benteke forced Bernd Leno into a save before putting just wide a of he then wasted an even better chance, wildly slashing Tyrick Mitchell’s low cross over the bar from eight yards.
Tomkins also bounced header against the bar.
Arsenal laboured and it was the team with only one win in their last seven games who looked the more confident.
Mitchell crossed again, Benteke climbed above a static defence and Leno pulled off a brilliant stop.
It looked like all the old failings had crept back into Arsenal’s game, after a run of four straight wins in league and cup had lifted spirits. a
Words were obviously exchanged at half-time as Aubameyang forced Guaita to punch clear and Hector Bellerin fired just wide.
Guaita then had to dash off his line to thwart Saka as Arsenal looked much sharper.
Palace were pinned back and those sharp little breaks of the first half suddenly were not happening any more.
Maitland-Niles beat two men before shooting straight at Guaita and it was much better from Arteta’s men.
But they were still vulnerable to the quick break and when Benteke nodded down, the Gunners were lucky that James McArthur’s flick dropped straight into Leno’s hands.
Rob Holding fired a header wide as Arsenal continued to press but Palace had the Emirates in lockdown.
Tomkins – Led the Palace rearguard superbly.