Crystal Palace vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight

The Premier League returns this evening as Arsenal travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace in the opening fixture of the 2022/23 season. Mikel Arteta’s men are looking to take the next step in their progression, and finish inside the top four, after narrowly missing out to north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur last season.

There is renewed optimism around the Emirates following encouraging results in pre-season and seemingly competent transfer business. They’ll be aided this term by strong new arrivals having brought in a new front man in Gabriel Jesus and the versatile Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City. Both players are familiar with Arteta who was an assistant coach under Pep Guardiola before taking the top job at Arsenal.

The Gunners were also involved in the season opener last year when they slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat at the then newly-promoted Brentford. Patrick Vieira’s Palace will be hoping to repeat that result tonight although the manager admits his team are short on numbers after a frustrating transfer window so far. Vieira impressed in his debut season with the Eagles and will want to garner some early season momentum by starting with a win.

Follow all the action from Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace and Arsenal kick off the new Premier League season:

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

• CHANCE! Martinelli misses a glorious opportunity after great work from Jesus, blazing wide from close range

• GOAL! Martinelli heads home after Zinchenko smartly squares, 0-1

• CHANCE! Edouard should score from six yards, but heads straight at Ramsdale

• CHANCE! Eze misses from 12 yards, shooting straight at Ramsdale, big miss

• Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Clyne, Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell, Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp, Ayew, Edouard, Zaha

• Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Jesus, Martinelli

• GOAL! Guehi turns Saka’s cross into own net, 0-2

Crystal Palace FC 0 - 2 Arsenal FC

Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal

21:48 , Michael Jones

90 mins: Three minutes of added time to play.

Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal

21:47 , Jack Rathborn

Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal

21:45 , Michael Jones

88 mins: Crystal Palace were just mounting a resurgence in the game but that second goal will kill off their spirit. It’s been a confident and competent performance from Arsenal tonight.

The Gunners are going to stay at top of the Premier League.

GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal (85’ Guehi OG)⚽️

21:42 , Michael Jones

85 mins: That’s game over! Thomas Partey drives across the middle of the pitch and slides the ball over to Saka on the right side. He dart into the box goes round the outside of Tyrick Mitchell and fizzes in a cross.

Marc Guehi tries to clear the ball but it’s too quick. It hits him on the head and deflects into the far side-netting to double Arsenal’s lead.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:40 , Michael Jones

83 mins: Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus are whipped off by Mikel Arteta with Kieran Tierney and Eddie Nketiah brough on for the final 10 minutes or so.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:39 , Michael Jones

81 mins: Zaha is causing big trouble on his wing. Ben White is struggling to stop his runs. Zaha checks away from the defender and cuts the ball back into the box where Schlupp arrives and gets a toe to the ball but can’t direct it at goal.

It’s all Crystal Palace at the minute. Arsenal are clinging on to their third.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:36 , Jack Rathborn

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:36 , Michael Jones

78 mins: Thomas Partey slides in and attempts to hack down Wilfried Zaha but the winger jumps over the swinging leg and ploughs on with his run. William Saliba comes flying across and wins the ball but the referee pulls it back for Partey’s attempted foul.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:34 , Michael Jones

75 mins: Luka Milivojevic is the next Crystal Palace player to be brought on by Patrick Vieira and he replaces Doucoure who seems to have recovered from his cramp.

Gabriel and Mateta take a tumble when Ayew’s cross from the right comes into the box and Arsenal are awarded a free kick.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:31 , Michael Jones

72 mins: Mikel Arteta and Patrick Vieira have the chance to deliver some instructions after Cheik Doucoure goes down with cramp. The referee calls for the physios to come on and the players are allowed a quick breather as the game is stopped.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:28 , Michael Jones

69 mins: Chance! Arsenal take a quick free kick in the middle of the pitch after Gabriel Jesus is brought down. It’s passes over to the right side where Bukayo Saka is played in behind Tyrick Mitchell.

Saka drives into the box but is forced wide cutting off his angle at goal. He still shoots but fires his effort over the crossbar.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:22 , Jack Rathborn

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:22 , Michael Jones

66 mins: Ben White and Nathaniel Clyne have both been shown yellow cards with Clyne’s most recent punishment for a heavy tackle on Gabriel Martinelli.

Arsenal’s attacking threat has somewhat been nullified by the Eagles who look increasingly more likely to score as the game goes on.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:20 , Michael Jones

63 mins: Nearly! Crystal Palace are getting closer. They win a corner that get sung over to Joachim Andersen who nods it back into the middle. Arsenal seem a little flustered and Gabriel attempts to hook tha ball clear.

He scuffs the clearance and spoons the ball back to his own goal where Ramsdale is forced to flap it wide of the post. There’s a foul in the area though and Arsenal are awarded a free kick.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:18 , Michael Jones

60 mins: Odsonne Edouard is hooked off by Patrick Vieira with Jean-Philippe Mateta replacing him in a like-for-like switch. A reminder that the Premier League has allowed teams to make up to five substitutions in a match this year.

Close! Odegaard and Jesus combine after the forward drifts out wide on the right side of the box. He’s given the ball and brings it inside before cutting it back to Odegaard. Odegaard decides not to shoot and dinks it back to Jesus who is off balance and pokes an effort straight to Guaita.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:14 , Michael Jones

57 mins: Close! Martin Odegaard has a shy at goal from an Arsenal free kick just outside the box on the inside right. He whips it towards the near top corner but puts too much curl on the shot and sends it wide of goal without troubling Vicente Guaita.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

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54 mins: Chance! Ben White loses the ball on Arsenal;s left wing and Palace feed the ball across to Zaha. Eze makes a run off the ball into the box and Zaha threads it perfectly through to him.

Eze just has the goalkeeper to beat but his effort is poor. He hits it low and straight at Ramsdale who drops to the ground to make the block and keeps it out.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:09 , Michael Jones

51 mins: Saka has settled well into the opening match of the season. He’s unafraid to take players on and has picked out some dainty passes around the edge of the box.

This time he finsa Odegaard whose shot is turned behind for a corner. Saka himself takes the set piece but Palace scramble it clear.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:05 , Michael Jones

48 mins: A shot from range by Jeffrey Schlupp wins a corner for Palace after Gabriel blocks it out of play. The set piece is whipped in high but Aaron Ramsdale comes out to claim it.

He fumbles the ball but manages to recover it before one of the Eagles’ players can turn it home.

Second half: Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

21:03 , Michael Jones

Kick off: Gabriel Jesus gets the match back underway with Arsenal looking to improve on their lead. They’re quickly through the lines with Bukayo Saka driving into the box from the right side.

He’s given the ball and tries to feed it to Jesus but it’s too close to Vicent Guaita who scoops it up safely.

Half-time: Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:59 , Michael Jones

What can Crystal Palace muster up in the second half? They need to something to upset Arsenal’s rhythm.

The Gunners are still a young team and if Palace can equalise it may make them nervous as they chase the win.

The man cooking up Premier League titles, Wimbledon championships and more

20:56 , Michael Jones

What do Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, and Phil Foden have in common?

They are all Manchester City players. They are all Premier League champions. And, they’ve all used the same private chef: Jonny Marsh.

Marsh has always had a talent and passion for cooking. “I started cooking when I was really young, like 18 months old,” he tells The Independent. “My mother would put me in a chair and I used to help her bake cakes … I think that memory has really inspired me along the way.”

Meet the private chef to Premier League footballers

Half-time: Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:52 , Michael Jones

Arsenal’s new signings, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus, have been mightily impressive on the debuts for the club. Zinchenko even has an assist to his name and it wouldn’t be surprising if Jesus scores in the second half.

Half-time: Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:48 , Michael Jones

45+1 mins: Arsenal take a deserved lead into the break at Selhurst Park. Gabriel Martinelli opens the scoring and good have had another.

Odsonne Edouard had a headed chance of his own stopped by Aaron Ramsdale in Crystal Palace’s best chance of the half but the home side need to do more if they want to get something out of this game.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:45 , Michael Jones

45 mins: Granit Xhaka is booked for diving and it’s the correct decision from the referee. Xhaka was trying to buy a free kick but there was no contact with Joachim Andersen and the Arsenal man goes in the book.

One added minute to play before the break.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:43 , Michael Jones

43 mins: Close! Crystal Palace should be level. Another free kick from Eze picks out Andersen in the box and he heads the ball back to Odsonne Edouard.

Edouard flings himself at the ball, wins the header and sends it towards goal but Aaron Ramsdale has time to react and palms it clear.

Good save from the Arsenal keeper.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:40 , Michael Jones

40 mins: Palace win a free kick inside Arsenal’s final third. Eze floats it into the box and tries to pick out Marc Guehi. The Palace skipper leaps for the ball but he can’t get there first and the Gunners work it away.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:39 , Michael Jones

37 mins: There’s a fair bit of shirt pulling as the Arsenal forwards attempt to spin off the shoulders of the Crystal Palace centre-backs.

First Martinelli has a try and gets pulled back before the same thing happens to Jesus. The Eagles are having to work hard to keep Arsenal out of the box and so far they’re treading the fine line between solid defence and clear foul brilliantly.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:35 , Michael Jones

34 mins: Arsenal have shown no signs of slowing save for a couple of nervous moments with Ramsdale on the ball. Can Crystal Palace find a way into the game?

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:30 , Michael Jones

31 mins: Aaron Ramsdale is confident on the ball but he’s held onto it too long here and panics as Odsonne Edouard charges him down. Ramsdale’s clearance hits the striker but bounces to safety.

Cheik Doucoure collects the ball and lays it out wide to Eberechi Eze. Eze’s cross picks out Wilfried Zaha who’s volley is deflected behind.

Eze gets flagged offside though and it’s a goal kick.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:27 , Michael Jones

28 mins: Another simple chip into the box from Zinchenko results in an Arsenal corner after Joachim Andersen leaps in front of Martinelli to nod it behind.

The corner is swung into the middle of the area this time and Vicente Guaita is confidently off his line to punch it clear.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

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Gabriel Martinelli puts Arsenal in front.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

20:24 , Michael Jones

23 mins: Zaha receives the ball with his back to Ben White who is onto him in a flash. There’s a bit of a tussle and the Crystal Palace forward is judged to have fouled the defender.

Free kick to Arsenal.

GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal (20 mins, Martinelli)⚽️

20:20 , Michael Jones

20 mins: Great goal! Arsenal take the lead from a corner. Bukayo Saka swings the set piece deep into the box and picks out Oleksandr Zinchenko in space.

He nods it back into the middle where Gabriel Martinelli leaps above everyone else and heads it home.

Arsenal deserve the lead and they’ve got it.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Arsenal

20:18 , Michael Jones

18 mins: Crystal Palace look to strike against the run of play after Jordan Ayew nicks the ball away from Oleksandr Zinchenko. He sends it across to Eberechi Eze who works it over to Wilfried Zaha.

Zaha dribbles into the left side of the box and threads a pass back into the middle but Granit Xhaka is back to intercept and clear.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Arsenal

20:16 , Michael Jones

15 mins: Cheik Doucoure lunges into a tackle on Martin Odegaard and excites the Palace fans as he wins the ball. They’ve not had much to cheer about over these opening 15 minutes.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Arsenal

20:14 , Jack Rathborn

Crystal Palace 0-0 Arsenal

20:12 , Michael Jones

12 mins: Arsenal have started as the more aggressive and confident team. They haven’t let Crystal Palace pass the ball around and are pushing them back whenever they can.

Gabriel, the defender, switches the play with a diagonal pass over to Bukayo Saka on the right wing but Saka has nowhere to run and sends it calmly back to Ben White.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Arsenal

20:09 , Michael Jones

9 mins: Save! Crystal Palace try to play out from the back but Martinelli, Jesus and Odegaard are too forceful with there high press and recover the ball.

Arsenal quickly move it from right to left where the ball sits up nicely for Oleksandr Zinchenko who drills a low shot at goal and forces Vicente Guaita into a decent stop.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Arsenal

20:05 , Michael Jones

6 mins: Chance! Gabriel Jesus press from the front and wins the ball high up the pitch for Arsenal. He dribbles into the box before prodding a shot at goal that gets blocked.

The ball bounces out to Gabriel Martinelli though and he side foots his first time effort wide of the far post! He’s got to hit the target there.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Arsenal

20:04 , Michael Jones

3 mins: Arsenal are slickly moving the ball around just outside the Crystal Palace penalty area. Gabriel Martinelli makes a couple of decent runs into the box but isn’t given the ball.

The Gunners work it over to Martin Odegaard on the right side but he doesn’t take the shot and Arsenal are forced back.

Kick off: Crystal Palace 0-0 Arsenal

20:01 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace get the ball rolling to kick off the 2022/23 Premier League season. Cheick Doucoure gets an early touch but the Eagles knock the ball down the left wing.

Odsonne Edouard chases it down but can’t reach it before the ball runs out of play and Arsenal win a throw in.

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

19:57 , Michael Jones

Here come the players.

The Eagles fans are making a lot of noise as the teams make their way out onto the pitch at Selhurst Park. Which way is this one going to go?

Can Palace win at home again or will Arsenal kick off their season with three points?

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

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Gabriel Magalhaes is the only current Arsenal player to have scored for the club in their Premier League opener, netting on his debut at Fulham in 2020-21.

Arteta on Jesus and Zinchenko

19:48 , Michael Jones

Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, spoke to Sky Sports ahead of kick off and explained how his new signings, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, have settled into the squad saying:

“We signed some very important players who bring a different mentality, they need to inspire our young players.

“We offer a different role within the team and the squad and they were looking for that within their career now. I am delighted to have them.

“I have really seen a different energy, a different flow, much more like I wanted.”

Mikel Arteta backs Gabriel Jesus to be a hit at Arsenal amid pre-season excitement

19:45 , Michael Jones

Mikel Arteta has backed the contagious mentality of Gabriel Jesus to help Arsenal have a successful season.

Striker Jesus will make his Premier League debut for the Gunners at Crystal Palace on Friday night after moving from champions Manchester City.

The Brazilian has already scored seven goals in pre-season to whet the appetite of Gunners fans, and their manager.

Mikel Arteta backs Gabriel Jesus to be a hit at Arsenal amid pre-season excitement

Patrick Vieira urges players to keep taking knee after roll back of gesture

19:40 , Michael Jones

Patrick Vieira believes it is critical for players to keep taking the knee after those in the Premier League decided to limit when they take the anti-racism stance this season.

Friday night’s Premier League opener between Vieira’s Palace side and Arsenal is one of the matches that will still feature the gesture, with other instances set to happen during the FA and Carabao Cup finals and specific No Room for Racism contests.

The Palace manager was adamant those were necessary in ensuring the message is still heard.

Patrick Vieira urges players to keep taking knee after roll back of gesture

Vieira on Arsenal

19:36 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace boss, Patrick Vieira, says that Arsenal can be title contenders this season after strengthening their squad over the summer.

“They are in a better place than last year,” said Vieira. “The new players have made them much stronger. They have the squad to challenge and be closer to the title.

“It will be a completely different game, they had a really good time during pre-season. We know it will be challenging but we have the tools to make it difficult for them.”

Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have a winning mentality, says Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

19:32 , Michael Jones

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes new signings Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko will provide a winning mentality previously missing from his squad.

Arteta spent around £75million to land Brazilian forward Jesus and Ukrainian full-back Zinchenko from champions Manchester City this summer.

The Spaniard is set to hand both players their Premier League debuts in the opener at Crystal Palace on Friday evening.

Arteta praises winning mentality of Jesus and Zinchenko

Arsenal’s new striker

19:27 , Michael Jones

Gabriel Jesus has been involved in seven goals in his last seven league games with six goals, ane one assist. He could also extend Arsenal’s record of having the most Brazilian goalscorers in Premier League history, which currently stands at 11 players.

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

19:23 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal will be the fifth time in top-flight history the season has kicked off on a Friday night, with the home side winning on each of the previous four occasions – Arsenal in 2017-18, Man Utd in 2018-19, Liverpool in 2019-20 and Brentford last term.

Is the Premier League too big to fail or could it fall?

19:18 , Michael Jones

A few months ago, some senior European football figures were in England for a meeting, and talk naturally turned to the “product” the Premier League is. There was admiration, but also aggravation.

A sentiment shared that evening, which is increasingly echoed across the continent, is that England’s elite competition is now “so arrogant” it “would be great if it fell”.

In one sense, you couldn’t have a greater indication of the Premier League’s power than such resentment. There has been satisfaction within Camp Nou at how Barcelona have beaten Chelsea to both Raphinha and Jules Kounde this summer, because that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

Is the Premier League too big to fail or could it fall?

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

19:13 , Michael Jones

Mikel Arteta’s side have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 10 league fixtures. The Arsenal boss has elected for three centre-backs tonight in Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel.

Will thye provide some defensive stability?

Benteke leaves Crystal Palace

19:09 , Michael Jones

Christian Benteke has moved to the USA’s Major League Soccer after six years at Crystal Palace the club have announced.

The Belgian forward will represent D.C. United under manager Wayne Rooney. Benteke made 177 appearances and scored 37 goals during his time in south London, finishing top scorer in 2016/17.

Time for Mikel Arteta to deliver Champions League after Arsenal’s two-year refit

19:05 , Michael Jones

It was a reminder of the standards in Arsene Wenger’s days.

Not, albeit, from the season when they were Invincibles, even though it came from the most distinguished of the Invincibles. But, overshadowed by some of Mikel Arteta’s stranger antics, Thierry Henry popped up on the All Or Nothing documentary to say: “Let’s not hide from the fact this is Arsenal. You have to make top four.”

Which, until his last two seasons, Wenger invariably did. But, after 20 consecutive top-four finishes, Arsenal have now come fifth, sixth or even eighth in each of the last six campaigns. They have become stalwarts not of the top four, but the second four.

Time for Mikel Arteta to deliver Champions League after Arsenal’s two-year refit

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal line-ups

19:01 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Clyne, Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell, Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp, Ayew, Edouard, Zaha

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Jesus, Martinelli

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

18:55 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace ended last season unbeaten in six games at Selhurst Park, winning three of those matches. Patrick Vieira’s side have kept a clean sheet in their last five home games, equalling a club record set between March and April 1992.

Is Saka Arsenal’s key man this year?

18:50 , Michael Jones

Bukayo Saka was the Gunners’ top league scorer last season with 11 goals - a joint-lowest total by an Arsenal player in the Premier League since Robin van Persie also scored 11 in 2006-07 and 2008-09.

Will he improve on that tally this season?

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

18:45 , Michael Jones

Tonight’s venue. Who will be victorious in the Premier League opener, Crystal Palace or Arsenal?

Patrick Vieira backing Eberechi Eze to be key player for Crystal Palace

18:40 , Michael Jones

Patrick Vieira demanded an end to comparisons between Conor Gallagher and Eberechi Eze, insisting the Eagles midfielder will not be stepping out of anyone’s shadow when Crystal Palace host Arsenal in the Premier League curtain-raiser.

Gallagher’s successful loan spell with Palace in 2021/22 helped earn him international recognition with England before he returned to Chelsea this summer, leaving some concerned about how Vieira would cope without him.

Eze looked very much the potential solution in pre-season, appearing on top form after spending much of the last campaign getting his career back on track following an Achilles injury sustained in May 2021.

Patrick Vieira backing Eberechi Eze to be key player for Crystal Palace

Premier League remains stacked in favour of the big six status quo

18:35 , Michael Jones

Selhurst Park. The final day of the 2021-22 season. Bruno Fernandes spins on his heels and inexplicably volleys a throw-in back in the direction of his own goal. Wilfried Zaha bursts towards the ball, using his upper body strength to hold off Diogo Dalot, then dribbles inside and sends a low drive towards the bottom left-hand corner.

It is the only goal of Manchester United’s twelfth defeat of the season. Their goal difference is now a good, round zero. Their points total is their lowest during the Premier League era. Ask anyone and it is their worst season since relegation in 1973-74. Their final position, though, is sixth.

This time last year on the eve of a new top-flight campaign, there was a theory that the era of a Premier League’s big six was coming to an end, if it had not ended already.

The big six were certainly no longer synonymous with the top six, at least. Arsenal’s back to back eighth-place finishes had broken three years of big six dominance between 2017 and 2020. Tottenham Hotspur had also dropped into seventh in 2020-21 too, as Leicester City and West Ham gatecrashed the party to finish fifth and sixth respectively and qualify for the Europa League.

The death of the Premier League’s big six was greatly exaggerated

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

18:30 , Michael Jones

Arsenal have lost their opening Premier League match in five of the last nine seasons with victories in each of the other four matches. They lost 2-0 to Brentford last term.

This is the third successive season that the Gunners have started their top-flight campaign with a London derby.

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

18:25 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace have won their opening league match in five of their previous 22 top-flight campaigns with seven draws and 10 defeats.

Although they’ve been victorious in two of their last four season curtain-raisers. The Eagles only lost four of their 19 Premier League home fixtures last season (seven wins, eight draws).

Can they replicate that form this year?

Edu ‘impressed’ by squad strength ahead of new season

18:20 , Michael Jones

Arsenal technical director Edu believes Mikel Arteta is working with the best squad of his tenure so far. Speaking at the premiere of Amazon Prime Video’s All or Nothing: Arsenal on Tuesday (2nd August), Edu waxed lyrical about the club’s current crop of players.

“I dream of this squad every day, I sit in my chair and I’m seeing them everyday,” he said. “The intention - every season - is to be better, in terms of the squad balance, quality of players, almost everything. I think so far, we’re doing quite well.”

Arsenal’s technical director Edu ‘impressed’ by squad strength ahead of new season

All or Nothing: Arsenal documentary reveals Mikel Arteta’s coaching gimmicks

18:15 , Michael Jones

An extension lead is rigged up at Arsenal’s training ground. The speakers are brought to the side of the pitch. Mikel Arteta has selected the soundtrack to their preparations for a trip to Anfield.

And so You’ll Never Walk Alone rings out around London Colney. As Arsenal duly lose 4-0, perhaps he would have been better off simply picking Kieran Tierney instead of the accident-prone Nuno Tavares.

He fares better by borrowing Stuart MacFarlane, the club photographer and lifelong fan, to deliver a team talk before the north London derby. Arsenal duly demolish Tottenham. Perhaps, though, the inspiration came not from the camera, but a drawing as Arteta, Pictionary-style, sketches someone waving an Arsenal scarf, a massive heart and brain either side of them.

It could have made the difference. Although maybe Nuno Espirito Santo just got his tactics so horribly wrong by neglecting to have a proper midfield that the gimmicks were completely irrelevant except in what they say about Arsenal’s obsessive manager.

All or Nothing: Arsenal documentary reveals Mikel Arteta’s coaching gimmicks

Vieira on living up to expectations

18:10 , Michael Jones

Patrick Vieira says that expectations on Crystal Palace have risen this season after their performances last term but he believes his squad can rise to the challenge.

“It’s the expectation from the way we were performing last year,” Vieira said. “People will expect more from Palace, so this is something as a football club we have to manage.

“At the same time, we have to deal with this kind of expectations, the pressure on our shoulders.

“We had a good season last year, and it will be important for us to maintain those kinds of performances, the qualities that we showed but on a more consistent basis which will allow us to be more competitive.”

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

18:05 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace have lost one of their ast eight Premier League meetings with Arsenal with two victories and five defeats. The Eagles are aiming to win consecutive league games against the Gunners for the first time after a 3-0 home victory in April.

That victory over Arsenal last season was their joint-biggest home win of the campaign, having also beaten Tottenham and Norwich by the same scoreline.

Can Patrick Vieira work his magic against his old team once more?

Martin Tyler criticised after appearing to link Hillsborough disaster to football ‘hooligan’ incidents

18:00 , Michael Jones

Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler has been widely criticised after appearing to link the Hillsborough disaster with “other hooligan-related issues” while speaking on BBC Radio .

A total of 97 supporters died as a result of the crush which occured at the Sheffield Wednesday stadium after attending an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on 15 April, 1989.

The 1990 Taylor Report investigating the tragedy ruled that a failure of crowd control by South Yorkshire Police (SYP) was the primary reason for the deaths, while a coroner inquest between 2014 and 2016 ruled those supporters were unlawfully killed and that fans’ behaviour had no contribution to the disaster.

Martin Tyler criticised for appearing to link Hillsborough to ‘hooligan’ incidents

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

17:55 , Michael Jones

Selhurst Park has been a bit of a fortress for Crystal Palace against the Gunners in recent years. Arsenal have won here just once in their last four visits with Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli scoring in injury-time to gift them a 3-1 victory in May 2021.

Palace’s 3-0 win last season saw Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jordan Ayew and Wilfred Zaha all get on the scoresheet and was one of the reasons why the Gunners failed to secure a top four finish.

Saliba benefitted from loan move

17:50 , Michael Jones

Mikel Arteta is ready to welcome William Saliba into the Arsenal first team after being impressed with the defender in pre-season following his year at Marseille. Saliba has spent the last three seasons on loan in the French top-flight but now looks set to break into the Arsenal starting XI.

“I am really happy with how he’s adapted.” said Arteta before the Gunners’ opening fixtue, “Obviously, it’s always something that you have to see, spending a year away from here in a completely different league.

“But playing the amount of minutes that he played and the way you could see he was growing and developing, he gave us a lot of reasons that he could be the player that we need.

“In the last few weeks, he’s given us every reason to believe that we made the right decision loaning him for a year, because he now looks ready to go.”

‘The biggest show in town’: All eyes return to the Premier League ahead of season like no other

17:45 , Michael Jones

When Erling Haaland and his camp were assessing where to move next, he watched a lot of Manchester City and Real Madrid to see how he might fit in.

The discussion, however, kept coming back to one main debate.

LaLiga’s comparative lack of intensity was appealing because a few years in Spain at this age would be hugely beneficial to Haaland’s ambitions of a 20-year top-level career. On the other hand, that lessened intensity is part consequence of the recent decline of the league, which led to Madrid’s offer being lower than City’s. It articulated an obvious truth.

The Premier League is the place to be, especially for a burgeoning megastar. It brings the most eyes.

All eyes return to the Premier League ahead of season like no other

Early team news for Crystal Palace and Arsenal

17:40 , Michael Jones

Michael Olise and James McArthur miss the game for Crystal Palace with respective foot and groin injuries. Defender James Tomkins has a muscle issue while goalkeepers Jack Butland and Sam Johnstone are also sidelined.

For Arsenal, midfielder Emile Smith Rowe has a groin problem although Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Fabio Vieira will be available despite most still recovering from injuries.

After spells out on loan defender William Saliba is in line for a first start for the Gunners with new signings Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko in line to make their debuts.

Eze important to Crystal Palace

17:35 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace boss, Patrick Vieira, says that Eberechi Eze can become an ‘important’ part of the team this season as he prepares for a second campaign in charge at Selhurst Park.

“Ebs [Eze] last year went through a really difficult period with injury,” said Vieira in his pre-match press conference. “But he finished the season quite well because he was training every day and playing.

“In pre-season he has been training every day and playing a lot of games. I believe he is getting to his best. I believe Ebs will be an important player for us.

“We play in a different way, we have different strengths and it will be important for those players to play with their qualities. I believe we can be as good as we were last year.

“We will have to give him time to get to his best. We don’t have any doubt about how good he can be for us. He had a big injury.

“Of course, he’s in a really good place and when he has the ball at his feet he can create something or score goals. It’s not just about him, it’s about the other players around him – they can help him to be a better player.

“He will be really important and a really good player for us, because of the ability with the ball at his feet.”

Premier League 2022/23 predictions: Champions, top four, relegation, best signing, top scorer and more

17:29 , Michael Jones

The Premier League is back ahead of an unprecedented season with the anticipated pause for the 2022 World Cup.

But there is plenty of intrigue surrounding Manchester City and especially the arrival of Erling Haaland and how he impacts Pep Guardiola’s side.

Liverpool will hope to keep pace to the very end once again, despite the loss of Sadio Mane, with Darwin Nunez adding a different element for Jurgen Klopp.

While there is great uncertainty at the bottom, with Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest hoping to survive after promotion last season.

Here, our writers make their predictions for a season like no other before:

Our writers predict how the Premier League season will unfold

The Premier League is back!

17:19 , Michael Jones

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal kicks off the new Premier League season which promises to be unlike any other.

Manchester City and Liverpool have both strengthened their squads and look set to compete for the title again but they may face competition from Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea and Antonio Conte’s Spurs.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are hunting down a place in the top four whilst Crystal Palace look to improve on an encouraging first season under boss Patrick Vieira.

Halfway through the year is the World Cup in Qatar so players who aren’t involved - Erling Haaland or Mo Salah for example - will have an edge come the second half of the season.

First up though is the Gunners’ trip to Selhurst Park. They lost the opening fixture of last season (2-0 vs Brentford) so can Mikel Arteta’s men start off with a win this time around?