Premier League: How to watch Arsenal vs Crystal Palace live on March 19, 2023

Topics: TV Schedules, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, English Premier League

The Gunners host the Eagles following their frustrating UEFA Europa League elimination at the hands of Sporting CP. Will Arteta's man bounce back in this tie? Here's a preview of this London Derby.

Arsenal are back in Premier League action this weekend following their European heartbreak, with the top-flight leaders playing on Sunday just before the international break. Crystal Palace will be their opponent, with the Gunners looking to temporarily increase their lead at the top when their London rivals visit the Emirates Stadium.

Due to the FA Cup quarterfinals, which is also taking place over the weekend, Manchester City will not take to the field in the Premier League until after the international break. As a result, the North London giants could extend their lead from five points to eight should they triumph over the Eagles.

Unfortunately, Mikel Arteta's men enter this clash with some bruises following their exit from Europe. The Gunners, who were competing in the UEFA Europa League and were one of the favorites for the title, crashed out in the round of 16 after suffering a frustrating loss to Sporting CP on Thursday.

The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw in Lisbon, which meant Arsenal had the home advantage in the second leg to see things off. Unfortunately for the home side, despite breaking the deadlock in the 19th minute through Granit Xhaka, the English heavyweights struggled against the Primeira Liga giants.

Arteta lost two defenders to injuries extremely early, with Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba both being forced off the pitch after only 20 minutes. In the second half, Ruben Amorim's men equalized before taking the Gunners to extra time and beating them on penalties.

Speaking after the game, the Emirates Stadium manager admitted that this result hurt. However, the league leaders can now fully focus on the English top flight as they go in search of their first Premier League title in 19 years.

Likewise, form is on Arsenal's side. The hosts are on a five-game winning streak in the league and beat Fulham 3-0 last weekend. However, despite all their struggles in 2023, Crystal Palace could be a tricky test as Arteta won't know what to expect from the visitors.

The reason is simple. On Friday, Palace announced a decision that many felt was inevitable: Patrick Vieira was sacked due to his side's horrendous form.

The Eagles are currently on a three-game losing streak but the issues date further than that. The South London side are currently 12th in the table, which might paint a positive picture, but the club have won only six games all season, with the last victory coming back in December.

With no wins in 2023, Zaha and Co. now find themselves only three points above the danger zone in what is a tight relegation race. With the Selhurst Park hierarchy fearing for their Premier League status, the decision to let the French tactician go was taken.

Under-21s coach Paddy McCarthy has been given the reign for this tie and will face the daunting task of overcoming the Premier League leaders in his debut game. However, a mid-season appointment has beaten Arsenal on his debut this season and that was Sean Dyche's Everton. Emulating that will be the goal but that is no easy feat to achieve.

Team news

Arsenal: Tomiyasu is out for this clash after suffering a serious knee injury in the defeat to Sporting CP while William Saliba could face a number of weeks on the sidelines. Should the Frenchman miss out, then expect Rob Holding to deputize alongside Gabriel as Ben White cannot be shifted back to his center-back role due to the absence of Tomiyasu and Cedric Soares. Nketiah isn't expected back until after the international break while Elneny is a long-term absentee.

Crystal Palace: McCarthy will be without Sambi Lokonga for his debut game as the Belgian cannot play against his parent club. However, Will Hughes and James McArthur could return to the midfield after overcoming illness. Meanwhile, Johnstone and Guaita are both nursing injuries, which means the inexperienced Joe Whitworth could start in goal.

Key stats

Arsenal are winless in their last three home encounters with Crystal Palace.
The Eagles are winless in their last 11 games in the Premier League.
Zaha and Co. have recovered 14 points from losing positions this season, which is the second highest.
Unfortunately, the club that sits ahead of Palace in this statistic is Arsenal, winning 15 points from losing positions.
The goalscoring record of both sides in their last 12 Premier League meetings is quite similar, with the Gunners netting 21 times and the South London club scoring 20.