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The ref trolled the Palace fans with the penalty announcement 😆

That was their best available team, bar Kepa for Raya (which was out of choice). That was more of our B team due to the injuries/unavailable. Not sure if you saw their actual line-up, because I am not sure where you concluded that was their 'B' team. To the game, in the circumstances, I will take that 3-2 loss, considering the players we had unavailable/injured and considering they went their strongest outfield team available. When the teams was revealed, I don't think much of as had any hope and when they went 2-0 up, I thought we were in for a hiding. Also thought again when they went 3-1 up, we was going to get battered and we did ride our luck but fair play to how the boys battled and give us a fighting chance. Still a tough ask, however second leg, you could argue that 5 players who were unavailable last night in Gusto, James, Caicedo, Palmer and Delap will all be starters in the second leg.

I think Arsenal will play, pretty much, their best team. They rested all their key players on the weekend against Portsmouth. Kepa may keep his place as has been the cup keeper throughout but other than that yeah, expect to see pretty much their best team.

Estevao did not play any minutes midweek and only played 45 mins against City. Pedro came off in the 60th minute mark against City and only played around 15 mins against Fulham. We are taking a bit too many risks with our lineup. Look what happened with Palace earlier... this is not an easy game. Surprised at the lineup...

We need to stop thinking about reputation now. It is backs against the walls. Get Palmer off and bring on Estevao or Garnacho as Palmer will not be able to track Robinson defensively. He isn’t going to help much right now so use players who have pace for the counter and can help us defensively.

Santos going off makes no sense. Stupid decision. We need the extra man in midfield and he should of stayed on. Palmer needs to step up. Been poor again in opening stages. Cucu utter stupidness. Has cost us game.

Delighted with the result/performance yesterday. I had little hope before the game and the bookies thought we had little chance too. First half, we rode our luck. They were all over us and Haaland hit the post. Second half we improved. Neto missed a sitter and thought we wasn't going to get another chance until Enzo scored. I thought Enzo scoffed it. Only realised it went in until he started celebrating. Palmer, is still frustrating me a bit. He got on the ball more second half but isn't influencing the game enough. He seemed to be outmuscled or lost the ball everytime he took on one of their players. I want to see him back to the player we know. He just wasn't that effective, albeit he was better in the second half than first half. I was surprised we did not add on another attacker as we went for the goal second half. I still thought we were playing it too safe and if the same situation arises again, we really needed to get another winger on the pitch to stretch the opposition. Also said in first page of this thread that City having less rest is only glimmer of hope I had and you can see towards latter stages, City looked knackered and I think the extra rest may have helped us, but balances out considering we had Sanchez, Cucu and Caicedo unavailable. Let me not forget Fofana, Colwill and Lavia all unavailable too. Santos was brilliant when he came on. Won the ball back a few times and mad excellent progressive runs with the ball which broke their press. Delap was really good too imo. He really held the ball up well and brought a different dynamic to the game. Liverpool drawing made that even a more important result. I don't see Liverpool getting anything at Arsenal, so if we beat Fulham, we should be above Liverpool by end of the week, my prediction tells me. Fulham also missing 2/3 key players at AFCON.

People going to slate Maresca for taking Palmer off but I understand it. He is not really at it again tonight and they are beating the press easily. Pedro may do well paying off an actual target man in Delap.

We are being sliced open way too easily. Garnacho besides assists has been poor. Palmer is still not 100% and have noticed a few times now, where is teammates have ignored him and not passed. He also is a liability defensively as he is not able to track back at speed of their pressing. Caicedo is on a yellow and may be worth taking off. Has not been at it this game.

Caicedo, very clumsy. Now out against City due to that yellow ffs! If we lose tonight then we are doomed because we are not getting anything at City.

How can we be getting battered by a team who is missing all their RB and playing a CM kid in Miley at RB and he looks like prime Cafu. Burn injured. Pope injured. This is defo a managerial problem. He is not able to adapt. Pathetic. We should of been targeting that right hand side but no. Embarrassing.

Everyone wanted Enzo out the team and we have looked awful without him. He needs to come on at H/T and put James into his natural role. Palmer has been awful and a bloody liability too. He has lost almost every dual and defensively is a weak point as he cannot stand Newcastle's press. Absolute horror performance and really could be a lot worse, the scoreline. We almost start every game away from home like this and Maresca does not know how to address it. Pathetic.

That is annoying. Did not know that until now. I hope Palace beat Arsenal but I do not see it. They look really stretched right now. Arsenal's depth is crazy even with injuries. Palace have Sarr away at AFCON. Munoz requires surgery and that is their most dangerous side of attack. Mateta looks exhausted and their schedule is as crazy as any other team and does not help that Glasner does not rotate much. Would defo be better for us if Palace win but think Arsenal will win. Arsenal have a whole week's rest at the moment while Palace have had a game, week in, week out for like the whole season.

We playing Newcastle at a good time. They have a bit of an injury crisis. Burn, Trippier, Krath, Botman, Lascelles all injured. Hall was not in the squad tonight due to a minor hamstring injury, so Miley played at RB. Livramento went off injured late in second half and had a rookie coming on at LB and Howe just said now that it doesn't look good when a player goes down like that. So assuming he is out weekend. We also have a day's extra rest than they do. That is most of their backline injured. Even with Estevao injured, we have players who can hurt them. Just need to not capitulate like we have done in recent seasons at SJP and keep firm against the hostile crowd. Keep 11 on the pitch and hopefully we can pick up a vital points on Saturday. Like I say, a good time to be playing them.

Estevao must have an injury. Did not see him on training pics. It would make no sense to not start him, let along not be on the bench, when his minutes have been scarce recently. Baffling. If he doesn't have an injury, then lost for words...

Maresca is actually a clown. He left Estevao on bench for the whole game. The game was clearly running away from us and his subs were terrible.

He was not given enough time tbh. Had he been given the time, I am sure Arsenal would have had more trophy success. Look what he did with Villareal after and now Villa. When he is given time to build his squad, he does wonders.

Tyler Adams is suspended for them. They likely will have Tavernier who is an attacking mid/winger playing at CM. Big bonus for us and we should have a lot of attacking opportunities. I think we will win this.

@ZAPHOD2319 no game thread yet for Bouremouth. Game less than 24 hours?

The fact it says Arsenal are in for him makes me think this is BS. They already have Gabriel, Saliba, Mosquera and Hincapie. If they don't sign Hincapie permanently they will sign a cheaper CB.

Yep, have to give it to them, they look complete and even when they have injuries, they look good. Saka was injured for a bit and Madueke stepped in and did well. Gyokeres who they have bought for big money as the main CF, they are scoring goals without him playing. I think whatever the result, they will win the league. They are too strong in all angles of the pitch. Nwaneri who is actually older than Estevao and was seen as their big breakthrough star last season cannot get a start at all. That is even when likes off Odegaard have been injured and now he is back. I will give credit where credit is due.

Despite the serious injures he has had, his recovery pace is superb. You rarely see anyone get the best of him in a foot race.

Seems you may be right. He is already back in training and would be a shock to see him not involved on Sunday.

Has had a stellar season since joining Everton. Has started every game apart from the suspension he served and virtually plays 90 mins every game. What a goal he scored tonight too 👏

That game was spectacular. Spurs coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2. Even then that was their first win at Arsenal for 17 years. Must be so painful being a Spurs fan. Anyway today shows how clear Arsenal are off the rest. There are 3 players who were out injured who defo start full fit and they managed to win so easily without those players. If we win next week, we close the gap but we are not competing with them. They also have got harder fixtures out the way than us too.