Christian Benteke’s first goal in almost a year helped Crystal Palace sink Arsenal 3-2 and put a sizeable dent in the Gunners’ Premier League top four hopes.
Benteke fired his first goal in 20 games then laid on another for the tricky Wilfried Zaha as the Eagles stunned the Emirates to claim their eighth away league win this term.
5
James McArthur sent Palace into dreamland
James McArthur’s header sealed a fine victory that ended Arsenal’s 10-match winning league run at home – and threw a spanner in the works in the Gunners’ bid for a top-four finish.
Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck for Arsenal, but those goals seemed little other than afterthoughts for Unai Emery’s rudderless hosts.
Arsenal remain fourth in the table but are only ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea on goal difference, with Manchester United two points behind in sixth.
Shokdran Mustafi endured a day to forget, the Germany defender producing a string of mistakes which ultimately help gift Palace their win.
5
Christian Benteke put Palace ahead
Benteke’s first goal since Palace’s 5-0 win over Leicester on April 28, 2018 kick-started a fine Eagles performance, with Roy Hodgson’s men holding out for a hugely-impressive win.
Palace now boast the league’s sixth-best record on the road, Arsenal joining the likes of Manchester City and Wolves in finding no answers to the Eagles on the road.
Arsenal were booed off the field at half-time and rightly so.
The listless Gunners deserved to trail at the break, with Palace producing a measured away performance.
5
Mesut Ozil equalised early in the second half
Mesut Ozil side-footed wide in an early opening but the Gunners conjured precious few genuine chances after that.
Martin Kelly flicked over when he should have opened the scoring after Scott Dann’s header into the six-yard box.
Arsenal failed to heed that warning however, and paid the price when Mustafi let Benteke stroll into the box unmarked and head home.
The German defender wrongly thought Benteke offside, and rather than play to the whistle appealed in vain – while the Eagles’ Belgian hitman coasted into position and then nodded home.
LATEST ARSENAL NEWS
Benteke had a second effort chalked off for offside after Zaha’s fine through-ball as Palace continued to press.
And the visitors probably should have doubled their lead before the break, with Cheikhou Kouyate forcing a double save from Bernd Leno, then Benteke blasting over from Zaha’s fine tee-up.
Arsenal emerged transformed after the break, Ozil levelling almost immediately.
The Germany star ghosted onto Alexandre Lacazette’s deft reverse ball and crashed in at the near post.
5
Wifried Zaha restored Crystal Palace’s lead
Palace rallied though, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles had to rescue Mustafi after the German’s missed header had gifted Zaha a run on goal.
The hapless Mustafi’s next mistake cost Arsenal dear however, as Zaha raced onto Benteke’s flick and slotted home.
Mustafi could only watch on as Zaha wriggled round him to stroll through on goal, the Gunners man incorrectly expecting goalkeeper Leno to race out and mop up.
Palace refused to relent or wilt in the sunshine, and bolstered their lead when McArthur nodded home from a corner.
Aubameyang netted a neat second for Arsenal to tee up a tense finish, trading passes with Lacazette before prodding home. But there was to be no recovery, Hodgson’s men deservedly holding out.
5
The top four race is heating up
Cristiano Ronaldo scored in his 10th international tournament for Portugal with Nations League hat-trick against Switzerland Ronaldo rolled back the years for Portugal 15 years after scoring at
Cristiano Ronaldo to Play for Portugal in Nations League
Previous article 'The stadium is great, unlike Tottenham's long-term prospects' - Dietmar Hamann believes north London club will have 'meltdown' at new home Next article Southampton vs Liverpool teams: Naby Keita and Fabinho start for Jurgen Klopp's men in crucial Premier League clash
Valverde: "¿Pitos a Griezmann? No quiero que la gente esté en
Ajax fans gathered at Leicester Square prior to their Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur last night, April 30. Fans were using a number of smoke bombs, flares and fireworks while marching from Leicester Square to Trafalgar Square and then onto the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Shirtless Ajax fan climbs scaffolding to lead chants in
A gutted Liverpool fan told talkSPORT he thinks his club is 'cursed' after their latest Premier League title failure. Liverpool fan tells talkSPORT club is 'cursed' after missing out
~ Manchester City not ready to fight in latter stages of
Chelsea news: Frank Lampard would be the perfect replacement for Maurizio Sarri, says former Blue Mario Melchiot Monday, 6 May 2019 ( 3 weeks ago ) Ex-Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot believes club legend Frank Lampard is the perfect candidate to become the next Blues manager.
Fulham 1-2 Chelsea: Maurizio Sarri 'very happy' with Blues
Arsenal v Valencia: Watch without paying extra, TV channel, kick-off time, line-ups Tune in Eintracht Frankfurt vs Chelsea live on talkSPORT 2: Commentary, stream and line-ups
Arsenal - Valencia (2019) | LIVE STREAMING - YouTube
Best of the Rest XI: The Premier League's top performers this season outside of the Big Six James Maddison. but it could have been more as he created the most chances in the league with
Ranked! The 15 best Premier League players outside the top six
Warren Gatland compared to Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene
Norwich City: research* has found that 32.59% of the Canaries' followers on Twitter are fake - find out which Premier League club has the 19th highest number by clicking the arrow above 20 19.
Ranked! The 20 best Premier League teams by points total
Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has won the PFA Player of the Year award after beating out the likes of Manchester City's Raheem Sterling and Chelsea forward Eden Hazard. Hazard has enjoyed a fantastic season for the Blues, bagging 16 goals and 13 assists in the Premier League.
Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk beats Eden Hazard and Raheem
Arsenal have entered the hunt for Charlton starlet Joe Aribo. The Gunners have had Addicks academy product Aribo, 22, watched a number of times this season. And they have seen enough to add him to
Arsenal news: Should the Gunners move for Joe Aribo?
No comments:
Post a Comment