Arsenal v Crystal Palace Live Commentary & Result, 19/03/2023, Premier League

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	MCI Manchester City	38	28	5	5	94	33	+61	89	L D W W W
2	ARS Arsenal	38	26	6	6	88	43	+45	84	W L L W W
3	MUN Manchester United	38	23	6	9	58	43	+15	75	W W W W L
4	NEW Newcastle United	38	19	14	5	68	33	+35	71	D D W D L
5	LIV Liverpool	38	19	10	9	75	47	+28	67	D D W W W
6	BHA Brighton & Hove Albion	38	18	8	12	72	53	+19	62	L D W L W
7	AVL Aston Villa	38	18	7	13	51	46	+5	61	W D W L L
8	TOT Tottenham Hotspur	38	18	6	14	70	63	+7	60	W L L W L
9	BRE Brentford	38	15	14	9	58	46	+12	59	W W W L W
10	FUL Fulham	38	15	7	16	55	53	+2	52	L D W W L
11	CRY Crystal Palace	38	11	12	15	40	49	-9	45	D D W L W
12	CHE Chelsea	38	11	11	16	38	47	-9	44	D L L D W
13	WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers	38	11	8	19	31	58	-27	41	L D L W L
14	WHU West Ham United	38	11	7	20	42	55	-13	40	L W L W L
15	BOU AFC Bournemouth	38	11	6	21	37	71	-34	39	L L L L W
16	NFO Nottingham Forest	38	9	11	18	38	68	-30	38	D W D W L
17	EVE Everton	38	8	12	18	34	57	-23	36	W D L W D
18	LEI Leicester City	38	9	7	22	51	68	-17	34	W D L L D
19	LEE Leeds United	38	7	10	21	48	78	-30	31	L L D L L
20	SOU Southampton	38	6	7	25	36	73	-37	25	D L L L L

Thanks for joining our commentary today. Until next time, goodbye.

The Premier League takes a two-week break for international matches. Arsenal return to action on April 1st against Leeds United at home. Palace face a crucial contest against Leicester City at Selhurst Park on the same day.

Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points courtesy of a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium. Wilfried Zaha struck the post for the visitors in the first half and that kicked the hosts into gear as Gabriel Martinelli broke the deadlock before Bukayo Saka notched a second before the break. Granit Xhaka slotted home a third 10 minutes into the second half, although Palace hit back through Jeffrey Schlupp. Saka ensured that Arsenal would canter over the line with his second of the game to extend the Gunners' winning run to six-straight matches in the Premier League. Palace have now lost their last four and remain only three points clear of the relegation zone.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 4-1 CRYSTAL PALACE

90' + 4' SAVE! Eze latches on to a deflected cross in the inside-left channel, but Ramsdale gets down to save his strike. The forward is offside anyway.

90' + 1' BLOCK! Kiwior does brilliantly at the back to prevent Zaha firing at goal on a break before Ayew sees his effort charged down by Odegaard.

90' There will be four minutes of added time.

88' Palace win a free-kick that Eze delivers towards Tomkins, but he cannot make a clean connection on the slide allowing Ramsdale to gather.

J. Kiwior

Gabriel Magalhães

86' Gabriel makes way for the Gunners as Kiwior replaces the defender.

86' WIDE! Odegaard collects from Saka on the edge of the box and he bends a strike towards goal that drifts just wide of the left post.

E. Smith Rowe

Gabriel Martinelli

83' Smith Rowe replaces Martinelli in the final third after the Brazilian enjoyed a fine outing today, scoring the opener for the Gunners.

Jorginho

B. White

83' Jorginho enters the action for the Gunners to replace White.

N. Ahamada

J. Schlupp

82' Ahamada replaces the goalscorer Schlupp for the closing stages.

E. Eze

M. Olise

82' Eze replaces Olise for the visitors in the final third.

80' Jesus probes in the box and goes down under pressure from Tomkins, but the referee is not interested in his appeal for a penalty.

78' BLOCK! Olise lines up a strike from the resulting free-kick, only to smash his left-footed effort straight into the wall.

76' Xhaka brings down Zaha on the charge on the edge of the Arsenal box. Palace have a free-kick in a threatening position.

75' Saka has now scored a career-high 12 Premier League goals.

K. Tierney

Assist

74' Tierney collects a loose ball in the inside-left channel and picks out Saka to convert with a sweet strike on his left foot.

B. Saka

Goal

74' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! SAKA SCORES HIS SECOND!!!!! 4-1 ARSENAL!!!!! The Gunners wrap up the three points as Saka converts with a first-time strike. Palace fail to clear their lines at the back and allows Tierney to whip a low cross towards Saka. The England man shoots first-time on his left foot, burying his effort into the bottom-left corner.

72' INCHES WIDE! Schlupp feeds the run of Zaha in the inside-left channel and he fires a low strike first-time at goal that creeps inches wide of the right post. It has not been Zaha's day in front of goal.

69' Schlupp's strike for the Eagles ended a four-match run without a goal in the Premier League.

68' Jesus wins a header from Saka's corner, but his glancing effort travels wide of the target and away from Martinelli at the back post.

67' Holding breaks forward from the back and launches a strike at goal that Guehi has to divert behind for a corner.

66' Whitworth makes a mess of a punched clearance that he sends straight into the air in the six-yard box, but the Eagles react to clear before Jesus can pounce.

W. Hughes

L. Milivojević

65' Milivojevic makes way for Hughes in the Palace midfield.

Gabriel Jesus

L. Trossard

65' Jesus steps up his recovery as he replaces Trossard in the final third.

J. Ayew

O. Édouard

65' Edouard was wasteful in the first half and is withdrawn for Ayew.

K. Tierney

O. Zinchenko

65' Tierney comes on for the Gunners to replace Zinchenko.

J. Schlupp

Goal

63' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! SCHLUPP GETS ONE BACK!!!!! 3-1!! Palace give themselves a chance of a fightback as Schlupp converts from close range. Olise swings a corner into the box from the left flank and that strikes Schlupp on the chest before he reacts to sweep the ball home with a left-footed strike from six yards. Game on.

62' Arsenal are committed across the pitch as White gets back to clear the ball away from Mitchell, although he concedes a corner in the process.

J. Tomkins

Yellow Card

59' Tomkins catches Trossard with a high boot and he goes into the book.

57' Arsenal have scored 15 goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the Premier League this season.

L. Trossard

Assist

55' Trossard threads the needle to release Xhaka in the Palace box before the midfielder slots his effort home.

G. Xhaka

Goal

55' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! XHAKA MAKES IT THREE!!!! 3-0 ARSENAL!!!! Xhaka surely puts the game beyond Palace with a close-range finish. He plays a one-two with Trossard in the final third, with the latter cutting open the Palace defence with a sublime throughball. Xhaka only has Whitworth to beat and manages to squeeze a left-footed strike into the bottom-left corner as he stumbles to the ground.

54' Palace have made a point of feeding Zaha down the left flank early in the second half. He has been dangerous, but just needs the element of luck to find the back of the net.

53' SAVE! Zaha causes problems for the hosts again down the left flank. He powers a left-footed strike towards the near post that Ramsdale watches all the way and turns over the bar.

50' Zaha makes a dangerous run into the Arsenal box and goes down under pressure from Saka, but the referee waves play on. The Arsenal man clearly got the ball.

47' Saka coasts past Mitchell again down the right and sends his cutback towards the penalty spot where Tomkins has to clear for the visitors.

47' Saka drops his shoulder down the right flank and sends a dangerous ball across the face of goal that Ward has to clear.

46' We're back under way at the Emirates Stadium.

Palace had their moments early in the game, but failed to capitalise on their opportunities. Paddy McCarthy faces a crucial teamtalk at the break as Arsenal were beginning to play through the visitors with ease. Palace have to get the next goal otherwise the scoreline could get out of hand.

Arsenal hold a 2-0 lead over Crystal Palace at the break in their Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium. Palace gave the home side a fright in the early stages when Wilfried Zaha struck the post. However, the Gunners soon took the upper hand when Gabriel Martinelli scored his 13th Premier League goal of the season before Bukayo Saka put Mikel Arteta's men in command with a fine finish before the interval.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 2-0 CRYSTAL PALACE

45' + 2' Palace press down the left flank where Mitchell has time to lift a cross into the box. However, he overhits his delivery out for a goal-kick.

45' + 1' WIDE! Partey lines up a low strike from 25 yards as Arsenal push for a third before the break. It travels through a crowd of defenders, but rolls wide of the right post.

45' There will be three minutes of added time.

44' BLOCK! Milivojevic loses possession and allows Trossard to drive at goal, but his effort is deflected narrowly wide of the post.

B. White

Assist

43' White plays a sublime pass to release Saka, who collects the offload and bends his effort past Whitworth.

B. Saka

Goal

43' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! SAKA EXTENDS ARSENAL'S LEAD!!!!! 2-0!!!!!!! Saka notches a crucial second before the break for the Gunners. Arsenal ramp up the pressure as Xhaka sends a teasing ball across the face of goal that just evades Trossard. Saka collects the loose ball and plays a one-two with White before curling a left-footed strike past Whitworth. A clinical finish.

41' CHANCE! White steers a cross towards Odegaard on the edge of the box and he takes two shots before pulling the trigger, sending his attempt agonisingly wide of the right post.

39' Xhaka wins a free-kick in the final third that Odegaard clips towards Partey in the middle. The midfielder rises to head the ball towards goal, but glances his attempt wide of the target.

37' Arsenal are unbeaten in 18 matches after scoring first in the Premier League this season, winning 16 of those contests.

35' Odegaard finds Saka in the inside-right channel, but the England man cannot offload back to his skipper and his eventual strike at goal is charged down.

32' Xhaka requires treatment after colliding with Olise. The midfielder is soon back to his feet and returns to the game.

30' Xhaka tries to attack the resulting corner from Trossard, but his effort deflects away off the head of Guehi.

29' Martinelli is straight on the attack down the left flank and he wins a corner off the legs of Ward.

B. Saka

Assist

28' Saka collects from White and sends a hopeful cross into the box that Martinelli pounces on and scores.

Gabriel Martinelli

Goal

28' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! MARTINELLI FIRES ARSENAL IN FRONT!!!!! 1-0!!!! The Gunners take the lead through a crisp strike from Martinelli. Saka clips a cross into the box from the right flank that manages to reach Martinelli on the opposite flank. He creates half-a-yard on Ward and drills his left-footed effort away from Whitworth into the bottom-right corner. Precision from the Brazilian.

26' Arsenal are not happy with referee Stuart Attwell as he awards another free-kick to Palace following a challenge by Trossard on Olise.

25' Zaha releases Edouard into the good position down the inside-right channel. He looks for Olise on the charge, but plays his offload too close to White, who clears the danger.

24' Martinelli tries to beat the challenge of Guehi on the edge of the box, but loses possession. Trossard then fouls Olise as he tries to break on the counter.

22' Edouard catches Holding with a late challenge. Arsenal get a free-kick and the forward is fortunate to escape further punishment.

21' Mitchell is down for the visitors after hurting himself in pursuit of White. The game pauses for him to receive treatment.

19' White bursts down the right flank and tries to send a cutback towards Trossard. Milivojevic is in the right place at the right time to clear the danger.

18' SAVE! Whitworth produces a sharp stop to deny Odegaard's left-footed strike after Saka's cross was deflected into the path of the Arsenal skipper.

16' Edouard is played through on goal by Schlup and only has Ramsdale to beat, but he sends a tame effort at goal that the Arsenal keeper saves before Holding clears the rebound. The flag is raised late against Edouard, but Ramsdale and Arsenal did not know he was offside.

14' Saka is played into space down the right flank and looks to open up room for a strike, but Palace defenders converge to close up the opening.

13' Arsenal have been giving a warning about losing the ball high up the field. Zaha was so unlucky there to strike the post and not get the bounce of the ball on the rebound.

11' OFF THE POST! Schlupp wins the ball for the visitors and releases Zaha down the left flank. He cuts inside to shoot on his right foot, but his effort rattles the post and bounces back off Ramsdale's legs before rolling inches wide. So close for an opener for the Eagles.

10' Arsenal break down the left flank on the counter. Martinelli pushes forward into the box and looks for Trossard on a late run, but Tomkins is alert to clear the danger.

9' Olise has his first raid forward down the right flank. Zinchenko tracks him all the way and wins a throw-in for the Gunners with a fine challenge.

8' Saka has space down the right flank and lines up a cross on his weaker right foot. However, he launches his cross over the top and out for a goal-kick.

4' Odegaard plays a clever reverse pass to Saka on the edge of the Palace box and he shapes to shoot, only to lose out to a fine tackle from Schlupp.

4' Martinelli and Xhaka attempt a one-two in the Palace box, but Guehi gets across to clear the ball away from the forward before he can pull the trigger.

2' White tries to release Saka in the final third, but the forward moves a fraction early and is caught offside.

1' We're under way at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are looking to complete their first league double over Crystal Palace since 2017-18, following their 2-0 win at Selhurst Park on the opening day of the season.

Paddy McCarthy is in temporary charge of Palace following the sacking of Vieira. There are three changes to the Palace line-up that started the defeat against Brighton, including one enforced just before kick-off. Joachim Andersen suffered an injury in the warm-up and is replaced by Tomkins in the defence. Ward comes into the side for Clyne at right-back and Albert Lokonga is ineligible against his parent club, so Milivojevic gets the start for the Eagles to captain the team.

Arsenal have made six changes to their side that started against Sporting last time out. White comes back into the fold at right-back, while Holding replaces the injured William Saliba. Odegaard and Partey return to the midfield as Vieira and Jorginho make way. Jesus drops back down to the bench, with Nelson as Saka and Trossard returning.

CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Jairo Riedewald, Jordan Ayew, Eberechi Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Nathaniel Clyne, Will Hughes, Chris Richards, Naouirou Ahamada, Owen Goodman.

CRYSTAL PALACE (4-3-3): Joseph Whitworth; Joel Ward, James Tomkins, Marc Guehi, Tyrick Mitchell; Luka Milivojevic, Cheick Doucoure, Jeffrey Schlupp; Odsonne Edouard, Wilfried Zaha, Michael Olise.

ARSENAL SUBS: Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith Rowe, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Matt Turner, Reuell Walters.

ARSENAL (4-3-3): Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, Rob Holding, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka; Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli.

Crystal Palace sacked Patrick Vieira during the week after their defeat at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion. The Eagles have failed to win their last 11 matches in the top flight and their loss against the Seagulls was their third in a row. However, Vieira's dismissal was still surprising given that the club were 12th at the time of his departure. They are only three points clear of the relegation zone ahead of today and need a result to turn momentum back in their favour.

Arsenal have a great chance to put the pressure back on Manchester City in the title race by extending their lead at the top to eight points today. The Gunners crashed out of the Europa League during the week on penalties to Sporting Lisbon, but it may be a blessing in disguise allowing Mikel Arteta and his team to focus solely on the Premier League crown. They've won their last five matches on the bounce and another victory would further inch them towards the title.

Hello and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal v Crystal Palace Live Commentary, 19/03/2023

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