The Advertiser spoke to Arsenal fan and MATCH magazine news editor Tim O'Sullivan for his views on Saturday's clash at Selhurst Park…
How confident do you feel heading to south London on Saturday?
I was nervous about this fixture a couple of weeks back, but Palace looked a bit flat against Liverpool and Newcastle. It could be a good time to play them, but if the fans are up for it and the front four are back on form, it could be a tricky afternoon.
Alexis Sanchez has been incredible but how key has Santi Cazorla been to you?
Santi was excellent in December, but his form only got mainstream attention after his ridiculously good individual performance against Manchester City in January. A player like Alexis will always grab the headlines for his goals, dribbling, work-rate and South American mystique, but Santi has been a close second for our player of the season so far. His dribbling is unreal, he's the best two-footed player in the league.
The race for a Champions League spot is wide open. Will you make it?
This question makes me laugh. Not because we definitely will, but because it comes up EVERY year without fail…and we do it EVERY year without fail. It's competitive up there this season and my cliché book says we can't take anything for granted, but I'd be surprised if we didn't finish inside the top four. Part of me thinks we might even finish as high as second.
What have you made of Palace this season?
Palace are a cracking team to watch on their day, but seem to suffer the same problems with inconsistency as others in mid-table. Those last 20 minutes against Tottenham in January were exhilarating, with Puncheon, Gayle and Zaha looking dangerous in every attack. Bolasie is back now and he's another big threat. Attacking talent like that can hurt any team in the league, but I guess the problem is showcasing it week in, week out.
And finally, a score prediction for the weekend?
Palace were class against Liverpool and Tottenham in the league this season, plus their quick attack could easily hurt our defence, but their last two games have made me more optimistic than I was two weeks ago. I think we'll sneak it 2-1.
