Arsenal waste huge opportunity as Wilfried Zaha shows up Shkodran Mustafi

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Giuseppe Muro21 April 2019

Christian Benteke's first goal in almost a year helped Crystal Palace sink Arsenal 3-2 and put a huge dent in the Gunners' Premier League top-four hopes.

Benteke fired his first goal in 20 games then laid on another for the tricky Wilfried Zaha as the Eagles stunned the Emirates Stadium to claim their eighth league win on the road this term.

James McArthur's header sealed a fine victory that ended Arsenal's 10-match winning league run at home - and threw a spanner in the works in the Gunners' bid for a top-four finish.

Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck for Arsenal, but those goals seemed little other than afterthoughts for Unai Emery's rudderless hosts.

Arsenal remain fourth in the table but are only ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea on goal difference, with Manchester United two points behind in sixth.

Giuseppe Muro analyses the key talking points at the Emirates...

Wasted opportunity for Gunners

REUTERS

This was a nightmare afternoon for Arsenal and only time will tell how damaging it will be to their hopes of finishing in the top four.

After Tottenham and Manchester United both lost earlier this weekend and with Chelsea not playing until Monday night, this was huge wasted opportunity for Arsenal.

Unai Emery made seven changes from Thursday’s win in Napoli and his bold team selection backfired. Arsenal missed the chance to go above Tottenham and into third place.

Mustafi a liability

REUTERS

Shkodran Mustafi had another difficult day at the back for Arsenal. The German let Christian Benteke run off him and have a free header to put Crystal Palace ahead in the first half, and he then inexplicably left the ball and allowed Wilfried Zaha to score in the second half.

Mustafi is a much-maligned figure at Arsenal and the second goal was another instance of poor decision making that could speed up Unai Emery’s search for a new centre-back in the summer.

Mustafi has never really convinced since his £35million arrival from Valencia in 2016. His two mistakes against Palace could prove costly for Arsenal.

Zaha puts big clubs on alert

REUTERS

Wilfried Zaha stunned Crystal Palace this week by telling them he is ready to leave this summer and he has put big clubs on alert about his future.

Zaha wants to challenge for trophies and play in the Champions League, and he is in the shop window between now and the end of the season.

Against a top-six club here, the Ivory Coast international showed why big clubs are looking at him.

Zaha always look a threat against a vulnerable Arsenal defence and he took his goal brilliantly to put Palace 2-1 ahead in the second half.

Palace fans will surely understand that Zaha wants to play at the highest level, and he again showed here why he could shine for a big club.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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