From topping the Premier League table on Christmas Day to finding themselves at risk of dropping out of the top four entirely, Arsenal’s winter attacking woes have come to the fore throughout the festive period, and Mikel Arteta‘s troops have now been punished for such alarming profligacy on more than one occasion.
After producing toothless attacking performances in successive top-flight defeats to West Ham United and Fulham, Arsenal passed up a surfeit of opportunities to draw first blood against Liverpool in the FA Cup, until Jakub Kiwior managed to make the net ripple in front of the Reds fans.
Unfortunately for the Pole, he sent the away end into elation as he inadvertently headed Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s free kick into the net before Luis Diaz offered Arsenal a lesson in ruthlessness with a thunderous finish into the roof of the goal, leading Arteta to admit that his side may have developed a mental block when it comes to finishing chances.
Pleas from Gooners to splash the cash on a new number nine in January are likely to fall on deaf ears – unless an audacious loan move for Karim Benzema comes to fruition – leaving the onus on Arteta and co to pull fourth-placed Arsenal, who are only above Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference with a game in hand, out of their offensive rut.
With just one win to show from seven matches in all tournaments – and even then wasted chances nearly proved costly in a 2-0 beating of Brighton & Hove Albion – Arsenal have never endured a worse seven-game run under Arteta, and they have now lost their last two Premier League London derbies after going unbeaten in 17 capital clashes before that.
sight for sore Arsenal eyes, ACL victim Jurrien Timbera was captured running on the Dubai pitches and undertaking individual ball work during the Gunners’ winter training camp, but it will still be a while before the Dutchman can be considered for a first-team return.
Thomas Partey (thigh) and Fabio Vieira (groin) are not expected back until next month either, while Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny are both away on international duty, and a question mark continues to hang over the head of Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf).
Should the Ukrainian fail to recover, Kiwior ought to be given a shot at redemption in the left-back spot, while Gabriel Jesus appears to have fully recovered from the knee niggle which kept him out of the loss to Liverpool.
Meanwhile, erstwhile Arsenal defender Rob Holding – who swapped the Emirates for Selhurst Park over the summer – will miss out on a reunion with his former club due to his ankle problem, while rumoured Gunners target Michael Olise is still out with a thigh injury, and no date has been pencilled in for his return.
Cheick Doucoure (Achilles) and Joel Ward (thigh) are also confined to the treatment room, while Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh) also missed out on a place in the squad on Wednesday, but he is back in training and could force his way into contention for the derby.
Jordan Ayew is also unavailable due to AFCON commitments, and the Ghana international is one of only two players to have been fouled more times than Bukayo Saka in the 2023-24 Premier League, the other being Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes.
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Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Eze, Richards, Lerma, Schlupp; Edouard, Mateta
