At a Glance:
- Arsenal visit Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
- Neither team is likely to field a strong starting eleven given the context of their seasons.
- Here’s how Mikel Arteta might set his team up against the Eagles.
Premier League champions Arsenal play their final domestic match of the season on Sunday when they visit Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace.
The Gunners’ status as title winners was confirmed on Tuesday night when Bournemouth held Manchester City to a draw, ending their 22-year wait for this piece of silverware. Joyous scenes unfolded on the streets of North London in the aftermath of this clash on the south coast, with Arsenal fans turning up to the Emirates in their drones to celebrate this historic feat.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta and his players spent the evening celebrating in an exclusive Mayfair nightclub. It’s understood that the Spaniard gave his squad Wednesday off, before they returned to London Colney for training on Thursday.
Now, they must deal with their final league match of the season before preparing for the Champions League final in Budapest next weekend. Sunday’s encounter with Palace will be something of an afterthought for both sets of fans and players.
The Eagles are dreaming of their own silverware, as Oliver Glasner’s side are set to face Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final on Wednesday. The Austrian will likely ring the changes against the Gunners, to ensure his key players are protected for this European showdown.
Arteta will likely do the same, with this occasion in South London more about the trophy lift after the game, rather than the actual game itself. Martin Odegaard and his teammates will get their hands on the iconic Premier League trophy after the match has concluded, while another wave of mass celebration is expected at the Emirates on Sunday evening.
| Date | Result | Competition |
| 23/12/2025 | Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace | Carabao Cup |
| 26/10/2025 | Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace | Premier League |
| 23/04/2025 | Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace | Premier League |
| 21/12/2024 | Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal | Premier League |
| 18/12/2024 | Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace | Carabao Cup |
| 20/01/2024 | Arsenal 5-0 Crystal Palace | Premier League |
Arsenal team news vs Crystal Palace, Mikel Merino injury update
Heading into the final two matches of the season, Arteta’s squad is finally almost fully fit. That is, of course, aside from their two senior right-back options.
Ben White is recovering from an MCL injury sustained away at West Ham, while Jurrien Timber continues to fight back from his setback. The Dutchman isn’t expected to be involved at Selhurst Park.
William Saliba, David Raya and Bukayo Saka weren’t involved in team training on Thursday, with all three partaking in individual sessions. However, none of the three are said to have any issues, and all of them should be ready for Budapest.
Elsewhere, Mikel Merino is finally available again after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The Spaniard hasn’t featured since January due to a foot injury, but HandofArsenal revealed on Friday that he’s in contention to play against Palace.
🚨 Mikel Merino is fit and ready to be selected against Crystal Palace. https://t.co/m8wBAW4P03
— HandofArsenal (@HandofArsenal) May 22, 2026
Predicted Arsenal line-up vs Crystal Palace
Arteta has a difficult balancing act to cope with ahead of this fixture. On the one hand, he won’t want to lose any key players to injury, so risking anyone on the edge for such a meaningless affair would be a reckless decision.
On the other hand, certain players probably need more minutes in their legs, and Arteta won’t want any of his stars to go into the Champions League final cold and lacking rhythm.
The most likely scenario is that the tactician fields a heavily rotated side and then gives some more important players short cameos off the bench. Kepa Arrizabalaga may start in goal, while Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie are likely to form the centre-back partnership, with the starting pair in need of a rest.
Marli Salmon may be granted a start at right-back, while Myles Lewis-Skelly could return to his left-back spot. The 19-year-old could start in midfield in Hungary, but given he’s relatively fresh, he isn’t in dire need of a rest for this one.
In midfield, Martin Zubimendi is likely to come back into the side, while Christian Norgaard deserves an opportunity to play in front of the Gunners faithful for one final time. In front of them, Max Dowman may be given a runout, while Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli is a likely front three.
Predicted Arsenal line-up vs Crystal Palace: Kepa; Salmon, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Norgaard, Zubimendi, Dowman; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli.
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal Prediction
This could be the most futile prediction of the season so far. Neither team will be particularly bothered by the outcome, and the likelihood is that the game will reflect that.
Both sides will field a makeshift line-up, and this could take the match in one of two ways. Firstly, things could look incredibly disjointed, and a mundane encounter ensues, with neither side really threatening.
On the flip side, a chaotic game could unfold, with both teams playing carefree attacking football, whilst lacking defensive intensity. Either scenario points to a close affair, but Arsenal might just edge it, given their squad players will be brimming with confidence.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal
