Crystal Palace – Arsenal is an intriguing London derby on Wednesday at Selhurst Park (start time, 2pm ET on and online via NBCSports.com) as plenty of subplots are swirling around this game.
STREAM CRYSTAL PALACE – ARSENAL LIVE
Roy Hodgson has confirmed he will leave Crystal Palace at the end of this season when his contract expires, as the 73-year-old coach has done a superb job over the last four years at Selhurst. The boyhood Palace fan has steadied the ship with consistent midtable finishes, but it is now interesting to see who will replace him with Frank Lampard, Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and many others linked. Add in that 12 Palace players are out of contract this summer and many could be saying farewell to Selhurst Park.
As for Arsenal, it has been a very disappointing season for the Gunners as Mikel Arteta’s side have an outside chance of qualifying for the Europa League but they have to win their final two games and hope for plenty of results going their way elsewhere. With David Luiz to leave this summer, plus Willian expected to move on and plenty of other experienced stars edging towards the exit door, Arteta will have an almighty clear-out. After Europa League heartbreak at the semifinal stage and not getting close to a top four finish in the league, Arteta needs a strong finish to this season.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Crystal Palace – Arsenal.
[ MORE: How to watch PL in the USA ]
Injury news
Crystal Palace are without several players, just like they have been for most of this season. Nathaniel Clyne (sickness), Patrick van Aanholt (family reason) and Luka Milivojevic (family reason) could all be available, while James McArthur, Connor Wickham, Mamadou Sakho and Nathan Fergsuon remain out.
COME ON YOU PALACE#CPFC | #CRYARS
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 19, 2021
Arsenal hope that Granit Xhaka will be fit to play, while Hector Bellerin is available but David Luiz will miss out.
🚨 TEAM NEWS IS IN…
🇬🇭 @ThomasPartey22 in midfield
🏴 @EmileSmithRowe starts
🇨🇮 Pepe returns out wide#️⃣ #CRYARS
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 19, 2021
Odds and ends (full odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)
Crystal Palace are the heavy underdogs at +475, while Arsenal are big favorites at -189. The draw is +325.
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Prediction
I smell an upset here. It is Hodgson’s final home game in charge of Palace and Zaha will cause Arsenal problems. Given the way Arsenal’s season has gone, a shock loss would sum it up. Crystal Palace 2-1 Arsenal.
How to watch, stream and start time
Kick off: 2pm ET, Wednesday
TV Channel: NBCSN
Online: Stream via NBCSports.com
