SUNDAY PREMIER LEAGUE: The Striker previews Sunday’s Premier League clash between ARSENAL v CRYSTAL PALACE with FACTMAN stats and a recommended BETDAQ bet.
ARSENAL V CRYSTAL PALACE
2pm We only have one Premier League game this Sunday on BETDAQ Betting Exchange as all the focus is on the Quarter-Finals of the FA Cup! Arsenal host Crystal Palace and the home side will be fully expected to win this game as they sit top of the table. With Manchester City having to play in the FA Cup this weekend, this is a fantastic chance for Arsenal to go eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. I know Manchester City will have a game in hand, but an eight point lead is quite the mental advantage at this stage of the season – especially with City busy in Europe too.
Arsenal don’t have to worry about Europe anymore after crashing out of the Europa League on Thursday night. It went to penalties, but they were the better side and finished the game with an xG figure double what they conceded. Obviously there was a debate afterwards whether or not it was a good thing. Fans always put a spin on things and while I would always choose a trophy, especially a European one, it is probably a good thing for their title challenge to not be busy in Europe.
Arsenal have had a lot of doubters this season, but Arteta has really given them a backbone which is something they have lacked in recent years. They have battled hard, especially away from home. That’s where the big difference has been between themselves and Manchester City – Arsenal have managed seven more points than City from the same number of games. They have been top class at home too, and they really should beat this average Crystal Palace side.
Crystal Palace are without a win in their last ten Premier League games. Their last win was on New Year’s Eve over Bournemouth, and while they have picked up draws against the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle, they really have been playing poor football this season. They are conceding an average xG of 1.7 this season and only creating an average of 1.0. With stats like that, they should really be in the relegation zone. That’s the type of stats you usually see from sides sitting in the bottom three anyway. Indeed, the xG table puts them into the relegation zone.
Arsenal come into this game as the heavy odds on favourites. They are currently trading 1.28 at the time of writing, and it’s hard to see past a comfortable home win here. I feel this is a case of how many goals can Arsenal score rather than will they win. Palace just haven’t been good enough this season to compete with this Arsenal side. With Arsenal trading so short in the match odds market, we’ll have to look around the side markets for some value.
Over 2.5 goals is trading 1.77, but Palace have been so limited up front this season I don’t see them contributing to that bet. Both Teams Not To Score is trading 1.62, so if you’re backing Overs you’re pretty much relying on Arsenal doing all the work. I much prefer Arsenal to cover the 1.5 goal Handicap at 1.87. I felt this would be trading a lot shorter before clicking into the market, and I feel we’re getting a lot of value here. At 1.87, Arsenal to cover the Handicap is worth a Max Bet for me at the odds.
The Striker Says:
Five points win Arsenal -1.5 goals to beat Crystal Palace at 1.87 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE.
You can view all markets here -> https://betdaq.biz/ArsCry
FACTMAN MATCH STATS
● 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.
● Crystal Palace have avoided defeat in each of their last four Premier League away games against Arsenal, with each of the last three ending level (W1). It’s as many times as they’d not lost in their first 18 league visits to the Gunners (W1 D3 L14).
● Crystal Palace have kept just one clean sheet in 22 away league games against Arsenal (49 goals conceded), a goalless draw in January 2021.
● Arsenal have won eight of their nine London derbies in the Premier League this season (D1); in English Football League history, no side has ever won nine all-London match-ups in a single season.
● Crystal Palace have won just one of their eight London derby matches in the Premier League this season (D2 L5), winning 2-1 at West Ham in November. The Eagles have scored the fewest goals (5) and have the worst goal difference (-10) in such games this term, while Arsenal have the fewest goals conceded (4) and best goal difference (+16).
● Arsenal have won their last five Premier League matches, netting at least three goals in four of those, including each of the last three. The Gunners last won four in a row while netting 3+ goals each time back in August/September 2004 (5).
● Since his Premier League debut for Arsenal in January, no player has been involved in more goals for the Gunners than Leandro Trossard (6 – 1 goal, 5 assists). He has five assists in his last four Premier League games, as many as in his previous 64 appearances.
● Gabriel Martinelli is Arsenal’s highest goalscorer in the Premier League this season with 12 goals, including five in his last five appearances. It’s the most goals a player has scored for the Gunners in a single campaign while aged 21 or under since Nicolas Anelka’s 17 in 1998-99.
● Since his Premier League debut in September 2020, no player has scored more Premier League goals from corners than Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães, with all 10 of the Brazilian’s strikes in the competition coming this way (Harry Kane also 10).
● Against no side has Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew scored more Premier League goals than he has against Arsenal (4). Three of these four goals have been for the Eagles, his most against an opponent for the London side.
