Crystal Palace v Arsenal: Key stats and talking points
Crystal Palace host Premier League champions Arsenal in a London derby at Selhurst Park on Sunday with both teams looking forward to a European final next week. Palace head coach Oliver Glasner may elect to ring the changes ahead of their Conference League decider against Rayo Vallecano next Wednesday. The Eagles are winless in their past six league games, although their safety has been guaranteed for a couple of weeks now, allowing them to look forward to the trip to Leipzig, where they will aim to lift European silverware for the first time in the club's history.
Sarr stars for Palace Ismaila Sarr, who has been named in Senegal's World Cup squad, has scored eight goals in his last eight starts for Palace in all competitions, netting in each of his last four, including both legs of the Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk. Since their return to the top-flight in 2013, the only player to score in five consecutive starts for the Eagles is Eberechi Eze – now of Sunday's opponents Arsenal – in April-May last year. Sarr's 21 goals in all competitions this season are the joint-most by any Palace player in a single campaign as a Premier League club, equalling Andrew Johnson's tally from 2004-05.
[BBC] Palace enter the game in 15th position, having struggled through a winter in which Glasner announced he would leave at the end of the season. The Austrian will hope his final game at Selhurst Park is a positive affair. History suggests it could well be.
Palace have never lost when playing their final Premier League match of the season at home (won eight, drawn four), most recently beating Aston Villa 5-0 in 2023-24. Arsenal gunning for more glory Arsenal fans will cross the River Thames in party mode to watch their team be presented with the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2004. Mikel Arteta, like his opposite number, could choose to rest some key players ahead of next Saturday's mouth-watering Champions League decider against Paris Saint-Germain.
There has been much praise this week for the Arsenal's board's persistence with Arteta. The Spaniard has overcome an unconvincing start to life in his first managerial job to turn his team into consistent title contenders. [BBC] It's no secret that the Gunners' current success has been built on the league's best defence.