Emiliano Martinez will start in goal again for Arsenal as they look to maintain their top-four challenge against Crystal Palace on Monday Night Football.
The Gunners’ third-choice goalkeeper stepped in for the 3-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday with both Petr Cech and David Ospina out.
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Neither Cech or Ospina will be fit for the game at Selhurst Park, live on Sky Sports, so Martinez will keep his place as Arsenal look to build momentum for their final nine games.
C Palace vs Arsenal
The Gunners are fifth in the table, six points points behind third-placed Liverpool but with two games in hand.
“We are in a position that is not comfortable,” said manager Arsene Wenger. “It is not where we want to be. We know what we need to do.
“We had a hiccup in recent weeks, what is important is to move on. We have shown we are united but we have to show that focus until the end of the season.”
Palace were unable to make it five wins in a row in midweek as they were beaten 3-1 by Southampton.
That defeat leaves the Eagles three points above the relegation zone ahead of a tricky run-in that sees them face five of the current top six.
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“I can see it going right to the wire,” said manager Sam Allardyce. “In the end it will be about who can hold their nerve and that is the big key to success when the pressure is on you at this level.
“When the bell starts ringing you know the time is running out and you have got to be very brave and stand up and be counted in those situations if you want to survive and be in the Premier League next year.”
Team news
Crystal Palace will be without midfielder Yohan Cabaye after he was substituted at half-time against Southampton with a calf strain.
Scott Dann, Pape Souare, James Tomkins, Fraizer Campbell and Connor Wickham are also out, with Patrick van Aanholt likely to be absent as well.
James McArthur (back) could return, though, while Joe Ledley is available after missing the Saints loss due to his wife giving birth.
Laurent Koscielny (Achilles) remains absent for Arsenal as does Lucas Perez (thigh), but Francis Coquelin returns after missing the midweek win due to personal matters.
Opta stats
Crystal Palace have won only one of their 15 Premier League games against Arsenal (D3 L11) and are winless in 12 against them.
Arsenal haven’t lost away to the Eagles in the top-flight since November 1979 (W6 D5).
Arsene Wenger has never lost a Premier League game against Crystal Palace (W8 D3 L0). The only teams he’s faced more in the Premier League without losing are Leicester (18) and Portsmouth (14).
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Sam Allardyce has lost 15 times to Arsene Wenger in the Premier League, the most defeats he has against any manager in the competition (W4 D7). Allardyce’s last league win over Wenger in the Premier League was in May 2010 with Blackburn Rovers – he’s lost nine of the last 10 meetings since (D1).
Olivier Giroud has found the net in each of his previous three Premier League games at Selhurst Park.
Arsenal have now scored 101 goals in all competitions this season – the only Premier League club to reach the century of goals coming in to this matchday.
Martinez has kept a clean sheet in three of the four Premier League games he’s started for Arsenal.
Sam Allardyce will know how to cause Arsenal problems and I think it will end up being a draw. If results go against them this weekend then it looks like the top four will be done.
