LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal and Stade Rennais at Emirates Stadium on March 14, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images) — LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal and Stade Rennais at Emirates Stadium on March 14, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)

Arsenal player ratings vs Crystal Palace: Gunners waste chance to solidify top four position

Apr 21, 2019

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.

Substitutes

Alex Iwobi 4

Iwobi started the second half brightly, but as it went on he grew more and more ineffective, turning the ball over when he should’ve been able to make something happen.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles 7

Maitland-Niles came on for another very positive cameo. He made a crucial last-man tackle and a couple of good interceptions and blocks. He also opened up the right-hand side of the pitch for Arsenal to attack, which was pretty much an impossibility in the first half.

It’s hard not to think what could’ve been if Emery had Bellerín and Maitland-Niles available on the right all season, instead of having to play Lichtsteiner and Jenkinson so regularly.

Lucas Torreira 4

Similar to Iwobi, Torreira turned the ball over too often after coming on, though at least that was through trying to push the team forward, so he was an improvement on Elneny in that sense.