Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes took a hit as they were held to a dramatic 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s late equalizer denied the Gunners a crucial victory and kept Liverpool’s title celebrations on hold.
The home side started brightly with Jakub Kiwior opening the scoring in the first half, followed by a goal from Leandro Trossard that seemed to put Arsenal in control. However, Crystal Palace responded with an impressive volley from Eberechi Eze to reduce the deficit.
In the closing stages, Palace substitute Mateta made an instant impact. Spotting Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya off his line, Mateta executed an audacious chip from distance to level the score in the 87th minute. “When I came on, I noticed the keeper was high up,” Mateta said. “I took a chance, and it paid off. It’s one of the best goals of my career.”
The draw leaves Arsenal in second place with 67 points and four games remaining, meaning they can only match Liverpool’s 79 points if the leaders falter. Liverpool can secure the title with at least a draw against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his disappointment after the match. “We are disappointed with the result and performance,” he said. “We didn’t find enough consistency to dominate the game. It’s part of football and cost us two points.”
Both teams now shift their focus to crucial cup semifinals. Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League at home next Tuesday, while Crystal Palace prepare for an FA Cup showdown against Aston Villa at Wembley this Saturday.
Despite the setback, Arsenal will aim to regroup and finish the season strongly, while Crystal Palace will take confidence from their resilient performance as they look ahead to their biggest game of the season.
