Frazier Campbell pulled off a 1-1 draw for Alan Pardew’s side with his second-half equaliser to make it seven points from a possible nine in their last three Premier League outings. They face a tough task awaits them this weekend when they welcome an in-form Arsenal side to Selhurst Park.
Joe Ledley has been a strong presence in the middle of the park for the Eagles this term, providing plenty of defensive cover whilst also venturing forward when the opportunity presents itself. He’s now won an excellent 82.3% of his 51 attempted challenges this season, conceding just seven fouls in the process, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Joel Ward has been one of Palace’s hardest working players this season and he will likely have to put in yet another lung-busting display against an Arsenal outfit which can often dominate possession. He’s covered the greatest distance of any Eagles player this term, with 258.1km to his name.
Palace’s own attacking threat will likely come in the form of Yannick Bolasie. Pardew will be hoping he can add another dimension to the Eagles going forward following his return from the African Cup of Nations and his stats suggest he will likely deliver. He’s completed a squad-best 53 dribbles this season, as well as attempting 83 crosses, so it’s likely Palace’s strikers will have another supplier of assists to feed off in the coming weeks.
Goals from Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott gave Arsenal all three points against Leicester last time out in the Premier League, although Arsene Wenger will be hoping for a much improved performance against Crystal Palace after a nervy second half against the Foxes which could quite easily have turned out differently for the Gunners.
Santi Cazorla’s form in recent weeks has been well-documented and the EA SPORTS Player Performance shows just how influential he has been for the Gunners this season. He’s so far racked up an impressive 890 completed passes in the opponent’s half this term, meaning he’s completed one on average every 2.2 minutes he’s been on the pitch this season. Palace will have to mindful of allowing the Spaniard too much time and room to dictate the game this weekend.
Hector Bellerin is another who has been turning in some excellent displays this season, quickly establishing himself as Wenger’s first-choice right-back. His pace is one of his most effective qualities and this was again on show against Leicester, where he recorded the highest speed of any player on the pitch, having been clocked at 33.3km/h, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Koscielny popped up with a goal against Leicester but unsurprisingly it is at the back where he has been making the greatest impact this season. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he’s completed a defensive contribution (block, interception, clearance, tackles won) on average once every 7.9 minutes he’s been on the pitch this campaign.
The fact that you rated Sanchez higher than Ozil shows your lower soccer IQ. Running around aimlessly is not a good thing. Its pointless.