Gunners stunned as top four hopes suffer significant blow

Christian Benteke’s first objective in nearly a 12 months helped Crystal Palace sink Arsenal 3-2 and put a sizeable dent within the Gunners’ Premier League high 4 hopes.

Benteke fired his first objective in 20 video games then laid on one other for the difficult Wilfried Zaha because the Eagles shocked the Emirates to assert their eighth away league win this time period.

James McArthur’s header sealed a high-quality victory that ended Arsenal’s 10-match profitable league run at house – and threw a spanner within the works within the Gunners’ bid for a top-four end.

Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck for Arsenal, however these targets appeared little apart from afterthoughts for Unai Emery’s rudderless hosts.

Arsenal stay fourth within the desk however are solely forward of fifth-placed Chelsea on objective distinction, with Manchester United two factors behind in sixth.

Shokdran Mustafi endured a day to overlook, the Germany defender producing a string of errors which in the end assist reward Palace their win.

Benteke’s first objective since Palace’s 5-Zero win over Leicester on April 28, 2018 kick-started a high-quality Eagles efficiency, with Roy Hodgson’s males holding out for a hugely-impressive win.

Palace now boast the league’s sixth-best document on the highway, Arsenal becoming a member of the likes of Manchester Metropolis and Wolves find no solutions to the Eagles on the highway.

Arsenal have been booed off the sector at half-time and rightly so.

The listless Gunners deserved to path on the break, with Palace producing a measured away efficiency.

Mesut Ozil side-footed extensive in an early opening however the Gunners conjured treasured few real possibilities after that.

Martin Kelly flicked over when he ought to have opened the scoring after Scott Dann’s header into the six-yard field.

Arsenal didn’t heed that warning nonetheless, and paid the worth when Mustafi let Benteke stroll into the field unmarked and head house.

The German defender wrongly thought Benteke offside, and quite than play to the whistle appealed in useless – whereas the Eagles’ Belgian hitman coasted into place after which nodded house.

Benteke had a second effort chalked off for offside after Zaha’s fine through-ball as Palace continued to press.

And the visitors probably should have doubled their lead before the break, with Cheikhou Kouyate forcing a double save from Bernd Leno, then Benteke blasting over from Zaha’s fine tee-up.

Arsenal emerged transformed after the break, Ozil levelling almost immediately.

The Germany star ghosted onto Alexandre Lacazette’s deft reverse ball and crashed in at the near post.

Palace rallied although, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles needed to rescue Mustafi after the German’s missed header had gifted Zaha a run on objective.

The hapless Mustafi’s subsequent mistake price Arsenal expensive nonetheless, as Zaha raced onto Benteke’s flick and slotted house.

Mustafi might solely watch on as Zaha wriggled spherical him to walk by means of on objective, the Gunners man incorrectly anticipating goalkeeper Leno to race out and mop up.

Palace refused to relent or wilt within the sunshine, and bolstered their lead when McArthur nodded house from a nook.

Aubameyang netted a neat second for Arsenal to tee up a tense end, buying and selling passes with Lacazette earlier than prodding house. However there was to be no restoration, Hodgson’s males deservedly holding out.