Crystal Palace 2 Arsenal 2: Iwobi Goes The Distance As Gunners 11-Game Winning Run Ends

Crystal Palace and Arsenal shared the spoils in an entertaining 2-2 draw on Sunday afternoon.


Arsenal recorded a 3-2 victory in last season's corresponding fixture.

The hosts came so close to an opener. A cross from the right went all the way through to Wilfried Zaha on the far side of the penalty area. The winger took his time before attempting to find the near corner, but his strike clipped the post and went wide.

Shortly after, Luka Milivojevic lost the ball not more than 25 yards from his own goal and Arsenal almost took full advantage. Alex Iwobi helped the ball to Lacazette, but the Frenchman's low effort from the edge of the box went just wide of the far post.

Palace were awarded a penalty before half time. Shkodran Mustafi mistimed a challenge on Cheikhou Kouyate after a corner and it was a definite spot kick.

This was perceived as the perfect penalty or extremely fortunate. Milivojevic rolled the ball just inside the left post, sending Bernd Leno the wrong way.

Palace's goal came after Arsenal had finally failed to deal with one of many corners for the home side. Simply put, Mustafi panicked when James Tomkins was about to shoot and after the ball had rolled through to Kouyate, he dived in and fouled the Senegalese.

Arsenal spent the opening minutes of the second half contented to spray the ball around, and the move eventually came to an end when Iwobi's cross was deflected into the path of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

Iwobi got into a similar position and this time, his delivery was better with Wan-Bissaka having to get across to make an important clearance in the six-yard box.

Seven minutes into the second half, Arsenal were back on level terms. They won won a free kick on the corner of the area and it was perfect for a left-footer from Granit Xhaka. The Swiss took the shot on and his powerful strike went into the far corner via the inside of the post. Hennessey got a hand to it but it simply had too much power on it.

The turn around was completed in the 56th minute. An inswinging corner was flicked on by Alexandre Lacazette - by his hand as he was having his shirt tugged - and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was there at the back post to prod the ball over the line.

The homers soon struck the woodwork. Substitute Max Meyer was attempting to get the ball back across goal, but his attempted pass hit the angle between post and bar.

Crystal Palace were awarded another spot kick in the 82nd minute of play. Zaha got on the ball and took on Xhaka, who dangled a leg out and Zaha took the invitation to go over it. It was probably the right decision.

Milivojevic powered the ball to Leno's right for the second time and the crowd erupted.

Crystal Palace XI: Hennessey; Wan-Bissaka, Sakho, Tomkins, Van Aanholt; Milivojevic, Kouyate, McArthur; Townsend, Ayew, Zaha

Arsenal XI: Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Xhaka; Torreira, Guendouzi; Iwobi, Ozil, Aubameyang; Lacazette