Arsenal wasted their chance to take advantage of Manchester United’s earlier defeat with a limp and error-ridden performance in defeat to Crystal Palace.
Arsenal played one of their worst first halves of the season after being forced into a number of changes from the midweek win over Napoli. Christian Benteke gave Palace the lead as he was unmarked in the box from a free-kick, and that was pretty much that for notable first-half chances.
Mesut Özil dragged Arsenal back into the game early in the second half, before Shkodran Mustafi gifted Palace the chance to kill the Gunners’ momentum again. James McArthur added to the lead not long afterwards, and a positive individual goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang couldn’t help Unai Emery’s side avoid defeat.
Let’s have a look at our individual player ratings for the match.
Forwards
Mesut Özil 6
Özil scored his trademark finish to drag Arsenal back into the game early in the second half, and he had to do his job and Elneny’s job throughout the match, which he did fairly effectively.
He was caught in possession far too often, more than anyone else in the team, but he also had the best pass accuracy of anyone except the Arsenal centre-backs despite playing a significantly more advanced role.
Alexandre Lacazette 6
Lacazette’s clever reverse pass gave Özil the chance to finish for the first goal, and he did a good job throughout of taking players on and linking up with teammates. Nobody created more chances for Arsenal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 6
Aubameyang only had one shot in the game, but he scored it, so it’s hard to complain much about that. Playing out wide in the second half, he put a few good crosses in that should’ve led to more. Still, he’ll want to be involved in the chances a bit more to secure the Golden Boot award this season.