Crystal Palace Boss On Arsenal Team Selection : I Don't Regard Maitland-Niles, Iwobi As Back-up Players

Published: April 21, 2019

Arsenal had the opportunity to go into the top three on Easter Sunday following losses by Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, but didn't take it after they were beaten 3-2 by Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.

Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha and James McArthur struck for the Eagles, while Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were on target for the home team.

It is thought that Gunners boss Unai Emery did not start the game with his strongest team, with the likes of Lucas Torreira, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Nacho Monreal, Alex Iwobi and even Maitland-Niles finding themselves on the bench.

Fringe players such as Konstantinos Mavropanos, Carl Jenkinson and Mohamed Elneny were surprisingly named in the starting lineup for the potential Champions League qualification deciding game.

In a light-hearted conversation with reporters post-match, Palace boss Roy Hodgson dismissed suggestions that Arsenal did not field their best team.

He said : ''A few disappointed faces here... I don’t regard Maitland-Niles and Iwobi as back-up players. Nor Aubameyang and Lacazette''.

Looking at the games left to play, Arsenal with their debatable away record travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City and Burnley, and face Brighton & Hove in the last home fixture.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : arsenal.com