Arsenal v Crystal Palace: Saka to spark Gunners in 14/1 Bet Builder

• Arsenal should triumph but often concede in home wins

• Bukayo Saka can score the game's first goal in a 14/115.00 BB

• Read Betfair's new 90 Minute Payout offer here

Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Saturday January 20, 12:30
Live TNT Sports 1

Gunners need to get back on track

When Arsenal drew 1-1 at Anfield to secure the Christmas No.1 spot, everything looked on track for Mikel Arteta's men to ride into 2024 on a wave of confidence.

But back-to-back Premier League defeats against West Ham and Fulham to close out 2023 and a home FA Cup exit to Liverpool in their first January outing has thrown the Gunners off course.

In fact, check a six-game Premier League form table and Arsenal are hidden away in 11th, a place below Luton.

Now five points behind leaders Liverpool, it's not exactly crisis time but with Manchester City finding their mojo, the Gunners simply can't afford to slip up in games like this.

Palace no pushovers

That same six-match form table shows Crystal Palace in 15th so it hasn't exactly been a happy time of late for the Eagles either.

Then again, that seems their natural resting place and in the actual table Palace are 14th, five points clear of the relegation zone.

A deeper delve shows that Palace are no pushovers. They were unlucky to lose 2-1 at home to Liverpool, scored two late goals to pull off a shock 2-2 draw at Manchester City, held Brighton at home and lost by a single strike at Chelsea.

Roy Hodgson's men did win their latest Premier League game - 3-1 at home to Brentford - but since then they've crashed out of the FA Cup after failing to score in two games against Everton: 0-0 at Selhurst Park and 0-1 in the replay at Goodison on Wednesday night.

Boost Arsenal win with BTTS

Arsenal have lost their latest two London derbies (Fulham and West Ham) but they're hot 1/41.25 favourites to bank victory here. The Draw is 9/25.50 while Crystal Palace are 10/111.00.

Palace lost this fixture 4-1 last year but they're no strangers to upsetting the applecart at The Emirates. They drew their three previous top-flight fixtures there (2-2, 0-0, 2-2) and even emerged with all three points thanks to a 3-2 victory in 2019.

Pinching a point at Manchester City will add to the belief that they can return to south London from north with something to show once more.

Despite the blanks against Everton, Hodgson's men certainly present enough danger to offer a credible threat even though the overriding feeling is that Arsenal will get back on track.

The best option looks to be backing Arsenal and Both teams to Score at 11/53.20. It's happened in over half of their seven top-flight home wins this season.

Saka can strike first in Bet Builder

Bukayo Saka netted a brace in this fixture last term, a goal in each half helping his side to a comfortable 4-1 win.

He hasn't exactly been prolific this season, averaging one in three in club colours, although the England winger did score in Arsenal's last Premier League game.

Given how much he plays, the mini winter break might have done Saka more good than most and this game - 20 days into the new month - will be just his second outing in 2024.

Saka's last three Premier League strikes have all been the first goal of the game so he's worth a punt to score the opener. Combine that with Both teams to Score on the Bet Builder and it's a 14/115.00 chance.

It's not that easy to nail down a particular Palace scorer with Jordan Ayew at the Africa Cup of Nations and Michael Olise set to miss out with a hamstring injury.

Eberechi Eze may be the one and two goals in his last six Premier League games is decent enough. Both Saka and Eze to score anytime pays around 14/115.00.

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