EMIRATES STADIUM, LONDON, England — Arsenal and Crystal Palace played to a thrilling 2-2 draw on Wednesday night, leaving Liverpool just one point away from clinching the Premier League title. The draw means Liverpool can seal the championship with a draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Arsenal took an early lead in the third minute after Jakub Kiwior scored a powerful header from a Martin Ødegaard free-kick. Crystal Palace equalized in the 27th minute when Eberechi Eze volleyed a ball into the net after it came off the post. The Gunners reclaimed the lead just before halftime when Leandro Trossard scored, putting Arsenal ahead 2-1.
However, Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta produced a stunning equalizer in the 83rd minute, chipping the ball over Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya from distance. Mateta’s goal underscored Palace’s resilience as they fought back twice in the match. This draw marked Arsenal’s ninth time this season dropping points after taking a lead, significantly affecting their title hopes.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed disappointment after the match, stating, “We dropped our standards today; credit to Crystal Palace. We struggled to find consistency in the game and gave the ball away in simple ways.” He acknowledged the impact of injuries on their performance, saying, “We have so many players out, and we need to do much better.”
Leandro Trossard commented on the match, saying, “The quality today wasn’t there compared to our last game. We need to raise the level with our big game coming up.” He emphasized the need for improvement ahead of their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain next week.
Despite the draw, Crystal Palace’s manager Oliver Glasner praised his team’s performance, stating, “The reaction was amazing today. I’m proud of what the players showed; we scored amazing goals. It’s important to keep this energy and confidence for the semi-finals.”
Crystal Palace established a strong response to recent results, maintaining a focus on their upcoming FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa this Saturday. Glasner acknowledged the significance of getting a positive result, especially after struggling in recent matches.
This draw left Arsenal in second place with 67 points, while Liverpool leads the table with 79 points from 33 games. The Premier League title race now rests primarily on Liverpool’s performance against Tottenham this weekend. With only a few matches left in the season, Arsenal’s title hopes seem to be dwindling as they focus heavily on their Champions League campaign.
The match highlighted Arsenal’s challenging season, where even with strong positions, they have faltered towards the end, raising questions about their consistency and ability to finish matches. The contrasting fortunes of both clubs heading into the final weeks of the season will be worth keeping an eye on.
