Crystal Palace Outwork Arsenal at the Emirates

Not sure the Eagles needed this game more than the Gunners, but it definitely looked like it.

Barring a last-month collapse, Crystal Palace is in good shape to remain in the Premiership next season, but still, no less an authority than their former manager Sam Allardyce well knows that the more distance between them and the relegation zone, the better.

And Arsenal should damn well know that dropping points in April and May aren't any mathematically different than at any other time in the season, but it certainly seems to be that way.

 

The Gunners are one of three big brands vying for two Champions League slots next season, so this 2-3 loss to Palace is particulary damaging.

Both sides had chances early on the first half. The Gunners could've scored through Mesut Özil, while Christian Benteke wasted for Palace. However, both would be productive later on in the proceedings.

 

Benteke's next strike gave Palace the lead.

Luka Milivojević's free-kick found the unmarked Belgian, who headed home past Bernd Leno in the 17th minute:

 

At that early stage, one would've thought that Arsenal should've figured this is not one of those toss your jock on the pitch and win three points sorta match.

Unai Emery might've had a clue about it, but he still waited until after the break to bring on Alex Iwobi on the break.

Dude made an absolute impact. Two minutes into the second half, Iwobi fed Alexandre Lacazette, who saw Özil infiltrating Palace's defense. He laid a dime on the German, who nailed nylon from close range:

 

Maybe Iwobi should've been out there sooner. Palace was going all in your face defensively, and he was the only dude who adjusted to it time and again.

The Eagles remained relentless, too, retaking the lead in the 61st when the impressive Benteke flicked on a long ball to Wilfried Zaha. Seemed like an easy ball to Shkodran Mustafi, so the Gunners' defender left it for Leno to clear.

Work rate entered into the matter, though, as Zaha was faster than both:

 

 

Lotsa that going on for the Red & Blue.

The visitors ran their goal total to three in the 69th minute through James McArthur. The unmarked Scott Dann flicked on a corner, where the ball found McArthur, and he found nirvana:

 

Desparate to get back into the game, Arsenal pulled a goal back in the 77th through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gabonese international tried a bitta hero ball -- which had been plaguing the Gunners all afternoon -- and was fortunate to get a deflection off a Palace defender on the edge of the box. He recovered an scooted in a low finish:

 

Everything else Arsenal tried was turned away by the resilient Palace resistance.

The only saving grace for the Gunners -- and it's a backhanded one at that -- is every one of their competitors for Europe lost, too:

 

No lie.

It's doubtful that'll happen again in the next month, so all sides would be best served by earning a spot instead of backing into it.

The takeaway here is Palace won this match on effort despite being a few pounds short in the talent department. For a big-brand contender like Arsenal, that's simply inexcusable.