Arsenal vs Palace Review and Arsenal vs Wolves Preview

Arsenal defensive frailties came back to haunt them as Crystal Palace dented their top four hopes with a 3-2 win at The Emirates. 
Following back-to-back away wins and clean sheets at Watford and Napoli, Arsenal went into the game high on confidence, but their defence let them down yet again as Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha, and James McArthur took advantage of the frailties. 
Two of the three Palace goals came via set-pieces as Arsenal found themselves open and exposed, and Zaha's was put on a plate for him by a shocking error by Mustafi, who found himself in no-man’s land, leaving the ball for his keeper, but Leno stayed on his goal line. 

Palace led at half time, but the Gunner’s got level swiftly after through Mesut Ozil . A Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal in the 77thminute gave hope of a comeback but it proved only to be a consolation as Palace passed the 40 points barrier, and won away for the eighth time this season
The result, combined with Chelsea’s draw with Burnley leaves Arsenal in fifth place and means there are only three points now between third and sixth, and with two Champions League spots left with four games to go, it is anybody’s guess the two who will qualify.

Arsenal play Wolves tonight, and Greek centre back Sokratis Papastathopoulos returns to the team, following a two-game suspension as they continue their top-four challenge with a trip to Wolves on Wednesday.
Arsenal are a point behind fourth-placed Chelsea and have a game in hand, so will definitely make the top four if they win their remaining four matches.
Who will win the battle for a top-four spot?
The Gunners’ general away form has been a cause for concern, having only won six of their 16 away matches this season, but recent consecutive away wins may have brightened Arsenal spirits. 
It could prove to be a good time to play Wolves who have not won since their extra time FA Cup semi-final defeat to Watford. Nuno Espirito Santo's team have lost to Southampton and drawn with Brighton in their previous two matches.

With Tottenham beating Brighton on Tuesday, and reaching 70 points and three games to play, two of which will be at home, Spurs will be confident of securing Champions League football next season, by avoiding defeat tonight, Arsenal will leapfrog Chelsea into fourth, and the Blues could be in sixth by the end of Wednesday, if Manchester United win the derby against Manchester City, it would have to be a 7-0 win for the Red Devils, so its unlikely. 

With each of these teams challenging for top 4, it really is anyone’s guess who makes it.

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