Paul Higham is looking at two young Gunners to combine for some shots on target as Arsenal host returning hero Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace.
Patrick Vieira’s return to Arsenal will be the headline of this meeting with Crystal Palace, but there’s some serious football business to be handled as well as the Eagles to go level on points with their hosts with an away win.
It’s a big price but wouldn’t be as outlandish as it first seems given Arsenal’s recent resurgence has come against two relegation candidates, a woeful Spurs and a being outplayed in a draw at Brighton.
Palace’s form is similar but with too many draws of late, although they’ve shown Vieira’s side has character as they came from behind twice to draw at West Ham and came from 2-0 down to draw with Leicester last time out.
The visitors also have a decent record against Arsenal with just one defeat in six league contests including two draws and a win at the Emirates.
The Gunners may have had problems getting a win over Palace recently but they’ve had no problems scoring – finding the net at least twice in seven of the last nine home games against the Eagles.
And the recipe for goals is there again with Arsenal especially vulnerable in the first half with a league-worst six goals conceded in the first 45 minutes this term. Missing the injured Granit Xhaka from midfield won’t help either.
The Gunners should have the majority of the ball and have some decent attacking options that we can get behind given Palace offer up more shots on target than they manage themselves – having allowed 33 this season while hitting 16.
Arsenal have 25 shot on target to their name and it’s this market which represents a touch of value in a shots double on two of the young guns for the home side – Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
They’re both exiciting, quick, direct runners who are no strangers to hitting the target, with Saka having five shots on target in his last five games for club and countrty.
Smith Rowe is almost automatic when it comes to having a shot on target as he averages just over one a game, only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has a slightly better number per 90 minutes.
He’s only failed to hit the target in one game this season and that was away at Man City, and with six on target from nine attempts he’s the most accurate shooter in the Arsenal squad.
Combining the two to have just a shot on target each gets us a nice return.
Source: Betfair Premier League
