Arsenal managed to extend the Premier League title race until at least Sunday, but not in the fashion they would have hoped after Crystal Palace fought back twice to earn a 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
WATCH — Arsenal v Crystal Palace full match replay
The Gunners got off to a rip-roaring start as Jakub Kiwior put the hosts ahead less than three minutes in. Kiwior got on the end of Martin Odegaard’s free kick and sent a perfectly placed looping header past Dean Henderson for his first goal of 2024-25. The lead lasted until just before the half-hour mark, when Eberechi Eze scored Crystal Palace’s first beauty of the evening. Adam Wharton served up a corner kick to the top of Arsenal’s penalty area, where Eze waited all by his lonesome and uncorked a stunning side-volley. He hit the ball into the ground, through a sea of bodies and into the back of the net just as the Eagles had clearly rehearsed in training all week.
Leandro Trossard put Arsenal back in front shortly before halftime, taking Jurrien Timber’s pass, cutting both ways to create a yard or two of space and hit a bouncing ball back across the face of goal for his 8th PL goal of the season. There was one final twist still to come, though, with big Jean-Philippe Mateta coming off the bench in the 80th minute. Mateta didn’t start as manager Oliver Glasner rested his leading scorer ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal vs Aston Villa (12:15 pm ET), but Mateta still managed to make a massive impact in the end.
MORE - Mikel Arteta’s reaction
William Saliba was caught between two minds when he played a lazy pass to Martin Odegaard 30 yards from goal, and Mateta pounced without hesitancy. He took the ball in stride, then two tiny touches to get it out from under him and deftly smashed his right foot through the ball while David Raya scrambled backwards, to no avail. Mateta’s chip hit the underside of the crossbar and tickled the twine for PL goal no. 15 on the season (tied for 7th-most, alongside Ollie Watkins). Few corner flags are safe from the Frenchman this season.
Liverpool’s fate has been in their own hands for weeks, but never more so than right now with a 12-point lead and five games left to play; a win or draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (11:30 am ET) would make it an insurmountable 15- or 13-point gap with four to go for both sides.
Mateta the magic man once again
Crystal Palace’s football has hardly been a thing of beauty this season (Glasner’s side averages just 42.6 percent of possession, 4th-lowest in the PL), but the Eagles rank 10th in terms of shots attempted (13.3 per game - above two sides currently in the Champions League race, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest) and they can never be counted out with a talisman like Mateta. Arsenal were perhaps a bit lucky to hold on for the draw once Mateta got up to speed (which didn’t take long). His goal numbers are obviously fantastic (see below), but he provides so much more as the lone man up top. He’s an outlet to release pressure, his hold-up play is fantastic and he’s a threat to score from just about anywhere on the field. The difference between being 12th (45 points), where Palace are currently, and 17th, where West Ham currently sit, is quite as simple as a superstar goalscorer, but it’s pretty darn close.
27 - Since Oliver Glasner's first Premier League game in charge of Crystal Palace, only Alexander Isak (32), Erling Haaland (31) and Mohamed Salah (30) have more Premier League goals than Jean-Philippe Mateta (27). Barclaysman. pic.twitter.com/zHwQmlUx69
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 23, 2025
Player ratings - Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
What’s next?
- Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa — Saturday, 12:15 pm ET (FA Cup semifinal)
- Arsenal vs PSG — Tuesday, 3 pm ET (UCL semifinal first leg)
- Arsenal vs Bournemouth — Saturday, May 3, 12:30 pm ET (next PL fixture)
- Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest — Monday, May 5, 3 pm ET (next PL fixture)
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace live updates - by Andy Edwards
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace final score: 2-2
Goalscorers: Jakub Kiwior (3'), Eberechi Eze (27'), Leandro Trossard (42'), Jean-Philippe Mateta (83')
GOAL! Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace: Mateta rips Saliba’s pass and chips Raya from 30 yards out (83')
GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace: Trossard works some space and sneaks one home (42')
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace: Eze side-volleys from the edge of the box off a corner kick (27')
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace: Kiwior scores a looping header from Odegaard’s free kick (3')
Arsenal starting lineup
Raya - Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly - Partey, Rice, Odegaard - Sterling, Martinelli, Trossard
Crystal Palace starting lineup
Henderson - Lerma, Lacroix, Guehi - Munoz, Wharton, Devenny, Mitchell - Kamada, Eze, Nketiah
How to watch Arsenal vs Crystal Palace live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Wednesday (April 23)
Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live online via NBC.com
If Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal lose, Liverpool will be crowned Premier League champions. If they win, they will keep their very slim title hopes alive but Liverpool need just three more points from their remaining five games to clinch the title. Arsenal cruised to a 4-0 win at Ipswich on Sunday as Arteta went stronger with his league lineup this time and hailed the first half performance as one of their best of the season. He will likely rotate a little more for the visit of Palace but Arsenal do know they have almost a week off after this game, as their next encounter will be hosting PSG at home in the huge first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal next Tuesday.
As for Palace, well, it has been a few games to forgot for Oliver Glasner’s side. They rallied superbly in the second half of the season to put themselves within contention of qualifying for Europe but just one win in their last four games, including two thumping’s at Manchester City and Newcastle, has but a dent in their European hopes. But Palace are in the FA Cup semifinal against Aston Villa at Wembley on Saturday and all of their focus is on winning that game and reaching the final against either Nottingham Forest or Manchester City. Due to the FA Cup semi this weekend it’s likely Glasner will rest a few key players.
Arsenal team news, focus
We should expect a few changes from Arteta with the likes of Tierney, Nwaneri, Partey, Lewis-Skelly and Timber to come into the starting lineup. After the injury scare to Saka on Sunday at Ipswich, Arteta will be wary of risking too many stars in Arsenal’s final game before the first leg against PSG. Arteta has confirmed that Saka is a doubt but could play some part against Palace. Rice, Odegaard and Saka all starting at Ipswich was a surprise and it seems unlikely that will happen again in the coming weeks. In defense Saliba and Kiwior will likely start again together as they continue to build on their partnership at center back.
OUT: Jorginho (chest), Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring - MORE), Kai Havertz (hamstring - MORE), Gabriel Jesus (torn ACL - out for season), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Bukayo Saka (ankle)
Crystal Palace team news, focus
Eze, Mateta and Sarr are so key to the way Palace play on the counter but it feels like Glasner may rest a couple of them for this game with a huge FA Cup semifinal in mind. That semifinal is winnable too as even though they’re the underdogs, Palace have had Villa’s numbers in recent seasons. USMNT center back Chris Richards was sent off against Bournemouth at the weekend and is suspended for this game so either Lerma or Clyne will play as the right-sided center back in a three.
OUT: Chris Richards (suspension), Cheick Doucoure (knee), Chadi Riad (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Ben Chilwell (illness)
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace prediction
This feels like Arsenal will get the job done, just, but it may take a few stars coming off the bench to get them over the line. Arsenal 3-1 Crystal Palace.
