Arsenal Tries to Start 2017 with a Win over Reeling Crystal Palace
Published January 1, 2017 by Florin P
Despite injury concerns Arsenal and Crystal Palace chase all three points at Emirates Stadium. (4:00 p.m UK Time).
Back-to-back defeats on the road caused Arsenal to slip from the podium and they are now trying to get back there. Opportunity presents itself on the first day of 2017, as they take on Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium. Home pitch advantage has been huge for them throughout the season and on Sunday they face a team that won few games on the road.
Long List of Injuries for Arsenal
The Gunners had no problem in advancing to the next stage of the Champions League and are still alive in the domestic cup. All these games however took their toll on fitness and now many players are mending injuries. The good news is that strikers are in great form and except for Welback, Arsenal can field the best offensive players.
Before losing twice on the road against Everton and Manchester City, Arsenal won three games and scored a combined 12 goals. They will try to return to their form quickly against Crystal Palace and take the lead early in the game. Arsene Wenger knows how to motivate his players and they’re expected to come out firing on all cylinders.
The Specter of Relegation Is Looming
Crystal Palace are still in the clear, but they are just one point above the relegation area. Sunderland, Swansea and Hull all have difficult matches over the weekend, so they are likely to remain there. However, the odds of defeating Arsenal on the road are slim and the best case scenario is to salvage one point. Their injury concerns are even greater, with a total of eight footballers unfit to play.
bet365 Sports offers tiny odds on what is expected to be a comfortable victory for Arsenal. Punters can bump them a little bit by betting on the home side to lead at half time and win. A HT/FT bet will result in odds of 9/10 which are amazing given Arsenal’s home pitch record.
