martin odegaard arsenal
Arsenal will travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace in a crucial Premier League fixture this evening.
The Gunners encountered the Eagles in the Carabao Cup quarter-final in midweek and won the game 3-2 courtesy of Gabriel Jesus’ hat-trick. Now, they have been drawn to play against Newcastle United in the semi-final of this competition.
Mikel Arteta’s side only managed to earn two points in their last two Premier League games and as a result, they are currently third in the league with 30 points from 16 games, sitting six points behind the league leaders Liverpool – who have a game in hand.
On the other hand, Crystal Palace have had a disappointing first half of this season as they are currently 15th in the table with 16 points from as many games. But, they have started showing signs of improvement in recent games as they are unbeaten in the last five league fixtures.
Team news
Riccardo Calafiori has been out injured in recent weeks but Arteta has said that he is available to be involved in this fixture. Declan Rice is also fit to feature and Oleksandr Zinchenko could also be named in the matchday squad. But, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain sidelined with their respective injury problems.
Predicted line-up
Arteta fielded a well-changed team versus the South London club last time out but is likely to recall all of his key players for this encounter.
David Raya should continue in goal and in front of him, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes would be the centre-back pairing for the North London club.
Jurrien Timber is likely to be in the right-back position, while Myles Lewis-Skelly could be on the opposite side. So, Calafiori should be among the substitutes.
Thomas Partey is expected to commence in the deep-lying playmaker position and Rice should be alongside the Ghanaian with Martin Odegaard in the attacking midfield position.
Bukayo Saka is set to return to the starting eleven after starting on the bench in midweek, while Gabriel Martinelli should be on the opposite side ahead of Leandro Trossard.
Kai Havertz may be deployed in the number nine position so Jesus would have to make do with a place on the bench despite scoring a hat-trick last time out.
Expected Arsenal line-up vs Crystal Palace
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
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