Arsenal and Crystal Palace will be forgiven for having their attentions elsewhere during Wednesday’s Premier League meeting at the Emirates Stadium.
If the Gunners lose, Liverpool will be officially crowned champions, although that ship realistically sailed a few weeks ago.
Mikel Arteta and his players will have their season defined by the ongoing UEFA Champions League campaign, which brings them into a semifinal collision course with Paris Saint-Germain next week.
Palace stopped the rot of heavy defeats to Manchester City and Newcastle with a battling 0-0 draw at home to Bournemouth last time out.
However, the Eagles are comfortably ensconced in midtable and Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal against Aston Villa at Wembley looms large.
Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace lineups, starting 11, team news
Bukayo Saka took a heavy knock in the last match, and while he’s recovered in time, Mikel Arteta has decided to rotate anyways, leaving him on the bench. Meanwhile, Mikel Merino is not in the squad at all, and neither is Ben White.
Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly are both pushing for recalls, while Partey and Timber are expected to slot back in to reinforce the spine of the side. Arteta is likely to revert to a more familiar setup ahead of the PSG clash.
Jorginho, Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Tomiyasu all remain sidelined. Riccardo Calafiori could return next week, but won’t feature here.
Arsenal starting XI (4-3-3): Raya (GK) — Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly — Odegaard, Partey, Rice — Sterling, Trossard, Martinelli.
Injured: Jorginho, Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Tomiyasu, Calafiori.
Suspended: None.
Palace are down to the bare bones defensively after Chris Richards’s red card during the 0-0 draw against Bournemouth. Glasner was expected to shuffle the deck, and that he does as Jefferson Lerma will either play along the back in a back-three, or he could stay in midfield in a change to a 4-3-3.
Adam Wharton was being eased back from his own injury issues, but he’s needed from the start here in midfield.
Palace’s injury list remains long-term but stable. Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucoure are both out for the season with knee problems. No fresh setbacks from the weekend offer some relief, but with depth thin and confidence shaky, it’s a tough task ahead at the Emirates.
Crystal Palace starting XI (4-3-3): Henderson (GK) — Munoz, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell — Lerma, Wharton, Devenny — Eze, Nketiah, Kamada.
Injured: Riad, Doucoure.
Suspended: Richards.
Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace live stream, TV channel
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