Date: Saturday, October 26 Venue: Selhurst Park Kick-Off: 12:45 BST Can Arsenal stretch their undefeated streak in the Premier League when they visit manager-less Crystal Palace on Saturday?
Team News
Crystal Palace have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the visit of table-toppers Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday. Yannick Bolasie made his comeback in the defeat against Fulham last Monday and is expected to retain his place, while Marouane Chamakh is set to face his old club for the first time. Arsenal's Jack Wilshere should be fit despite being forced off with an ankle injury in the midweek defeat to Borussia Dortmund. Mathieu Flamini is also in contention despite missing that game with concussion. (BBC)
Key Stats
In their most recent home clashes with the Gunners, Crystal Palace earned two draws, in 1997 and 2004. However, Arsenal won the last Premier League meeting 5-1 in February 2005. Palace are yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League this season, and are without a win since August 31, against Sunderland. Arsenal have scored in their last 13 Premier League games - the longest current run in the league.
Arsenal's sharks will smell blood in the water when they travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Palace, upon parting ways by mutual consent with manager Ian Holloway, are rudderless, and without a league win in nearly two months. Keith Millen will take charge of this game on a caretaker basis and he couldn't have picked a worse fixture of which to take the reigns in, even if he had tried. What a baptism of fire. Against the Gunners, Palace, who have the joint-worst defensive record in the league alongside rock-bottom Sunderland, come up against an opponent who can't stop scoring. Arsene Wenger's men have scored in their last 13 Premier League games - the longest current run in the league - and you've have to back them to get a bag-full here. Arsenal have been fantastic to watch of late and will be hurting after their shock 2-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund midweek. I expect a backlash here, with the wonderful Mesut Ozil to be at the centre of everything. Prediction: 0-4
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
