Arsenal’s top four hopes fading after humiliating Crystal Palace defeat
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Updated 11/04/2017 at 09:25 GMT
Premier League, Selhurst Park – Crystal Palace 3 (Townsend 17, Cabaye 63, Milivojevic 68) Arsenal 0
Crystal Palace celebrate a win over Arsenal
Image credit: Reuters
Arsenal drifted further from the top four on Monday night after Crystal Palace pulled off a convincing 3-0 victory against the north Londoners.
The crushing defeat will lead to renewed calls for Arsene Wenger to consider his future in the Gunners' hot-seat.
Andros Townsend scored in the 17th minute to put his side in a deserved lead.
The hosts' performance improved further in the second half, and though Arsenal dominated possession, it was not enough to prevent a second goal for Palace in the 63rd minute by Yohan Cabaye.
A penalty was awarded to Palace not long afterwards after Townsend was brought down in the box by Emiliano Martinez, though some thought contact was made after the winger started to fall.
Nonetheless Luka Milivojevic converted the penalty to shore up Palace six points above the drop zone.
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Crystal Palace v Arsenal - Premier League - Selhurst Park - 10/4/17 Arsenal's Mesut Ozil, Nacho Monreal, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey look dejected
Image credit: Reuters
TALKING POINT
Should Olivier Giroud have had a penalty? He thought he'd been hauled down about 30 seconds before Townsend won a rather fortuitous spot kick at the other end. Had Arsenal got it back to 2-1 at that point their heads might not have dropped so extensively in that last 20 minutes.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Wilfried Zaha (Palace): Always lively, and given a deserved ovation at the end of the match.
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Yohan Cabaye, Andros Townsend, Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Image credit: AFP
PLAYER RATINGS
Crystal Palace: Hennessey 7, Ward 7, Kelly 7, Sakho 8, Schlupp 8, Milivojevic 8, Cabaye 8, Puncheon 8, Zaha 8, Townsend 8, Benteke 7. Subs: Delaney 7, Flamini 7, McArthur 7,
Arsenal: Martinez 7, Bellerin 5, Mustafi 4, Gabriel 5, Monreal 6, Elneny 6, Xhaka 5, Walcott 5, Ozil 5, Alexis 5, Welbeck 5. Subs: Ramsey 5, Oxlade-Chamberlain 5, Giroud 5.
KEY MOMENTS
17’ - GOAL! Palace 1-0 Arsenal. Townsend opens the scoring, and Palace have certainly been on top. Long ball forward by Hennessey, Arsenal fail to deal with the bouncing ball, and a neat exchange of passes eventually falls to Townsend's feet.
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Andros Townsend celebrates scoring for Crystal Palace against Arsenal
Image credit: Reuters
54’ - CHANCE! A Puncheon bullet header, right at Martinez! Palace are stomping all over this.
63’ - GOAL! Palace 2-0 Arsenal. This is a LOVELY goal from Cabaye! Zaha skims the ball in, and Cabaye, falling to the ground, fizzes the ball in a beautiful arc over Martinez.
68’ - PENALTY! Palace get a penalty up the other end - Townsend was falling before Martinez made any contact.
68’ - GOAL! Palace 3-0 Arsenal. Regardless, that's a straightforward conversion of the spot kick from Milivojevic.
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Crystal Palace v Arsenal - Premier League - Selhurst Park - 10/4/17 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks dejected after the match
Image credit: Reuters
KEY STATS
Arsene Wenger has lost four consecutive away Premier League games as Arsenal manager for the very first time.
Arsenal have conceded three or more goals in four consecutive away games for the first time since 1929.
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