Palace make their point as Gunners draw a blank
ARSENAL’S attempt to win four Premier League games in a row for the first time in more than two years turned into a damp squib at the Emirates last night.
Having needed extra time to finally breakthrough against Newcastle in their weekend FA Cup tie there was more frustration as Crystal Palace kept their first clean sheet in ten games.
Missing left-back Kieran Tierney with muscle soreness, the Gunners were shorn of any inspiration and
Roy Hodgson’s side – crushed 7-0 at home by Liverpool only last month – rarely looked like conceding.
Indeed, Palace came closest to breaking the deadlock during a first half in which they were largely the better side. Wilfried Zaha was denied by a last-ditch tackle from Granit Xhaka, Christian Benteke twice missed the target when well placed and James Tomkins headed against the bar after a beautiful delivery from Ebere Eze.
Arsenal were more on the front foot after the break, but their buildup play remained too laborious to carry much of a threat.
Their clearest opening came in the 55th minute when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s shot landed at the feet of Alexandre Lacazette, but the Frenchman fired wide. Ainsley Maitland-Niles struck a shot straight at Vicente Guaita before making way for Nicolas Pepe while a Palace break saw Benteke set Zaha clear to gallop down the right but his cross back towards the striker was blocked by Xhaka.
As it was Palace kept their firstever league clean sheet at Arsenal and they haven’t been beaten in any of their last five meetings, four of them draws, although this one won’t linger long in the memory.