Four players to watch against Crystal Palace

Martinelli


By Will Castle

The new Premier League season is nearly upon us, and Arsenal are set to kick off their campaign with a trip to Crystal Palace this Friday.

The Gunners will be full of confidence after a flawless pre-season, which saw them win all six of their warmup games.
Mikel Arteta will be hoping to follow up their promising pre-season preparations with an equally stellar season, as Arsenal look to prove themselves as a serious threat in the race for top-four.

After an active transfer window at the Emirates, seeing the arrival of five exciting new acquisitions, there is a sense of optimism among Gooners, who will be desperate to see their side finish in a Champions League spot for the first time since the 2015/16 season.

So, with that, let’s take a look at four players to keep an eye on for the Gunners, as they look to start their season on a high in South London.
 

Gabriel Jesus


After an impressive pre-season, marquee signing Gabriel Jesus is already looking like the missing piece of the puzzle in Arteta’s side.

Signing from Premier League rivals Manchester City for a fee of £45 million, Jesus has bagged an impressive seven goals in five pre-season games, currently averaging a goal every 37.85 minutes.

To put that in context, the Brazil international has already scored more goals for Arsenal than Alexandre Lacazette did (6) during 36 competitive appearances last season.

A versatile, creative player with a keen eye for goal, fans will be hoping Jesus can replicate his pre-season form with a spellbinding performance on Friday night.
 

Oleksandr Zinchenko


The second of Arteta’s big money signings from his former managerial mentor Pep Guardiola, Zinchenko looks likely to start the season at left-back on Friday, with Kieran Tierney a doubt due to injury.

Zinchenko will be put to the test against a dangerous Crystal Palace front line should he start, with fans eager to see if the Ukrainian can live up to the lofty price tag he warranted.

Given his versatility, able to play as a full back or as a midfielder, Gooners are optimistic that the signing of Zinchenko will prove a successful one, but Arteta will nonetheless be wishing for a positive start for his new defensive-minded addition under the lights of Selhurst Park.

Zinchenko

William Saliba


After a very productive loan spell at Marseille, where he was named Ligue 1’s Young Player of the Year, William Saliba is back at the Emirates and has been showing vast promise throughout pre-season, back under the tutelage of Mikel Arteta.

Saliba was on the pitch for a total of 282 minutes during Arsenal’s pre-season preparations, and in that time the Gunners managed to not concede a single goal – an impressive stat to have by his name.

As a result of his fine form of late, many fans believe the Frenchman could be Arsenal’s long-term solution to their age-old defensive woes.

However, there is uncertainty over Saliba’s future due to concerns of regular first team football, with Marseille still keen to re-sign him on a permanent deal.

Nevertheless, Saliba is still in contention to feature against Palace this Friday, which will give fans a chance to see if the promising defender can pass muster in the Premier League.
 

Gabriel Martinelli


Gooners will be hoping fan-favourite Gabriel Martinelli can finally hit the heights so many envisage for him this season, as he looks set to solidify his position as a regular fixture in Arteta’s side.

Martinelli, akin to many of his teammates, had a fantastic pre-season, showcasing his creativity by setting up five goals in five appearances.

Still only 21 years of age, the Brazilian starlet will set his sights on kicking off his Premier League season with a bang on Friday, stamping his mark as one of the most promising young players in English football at the moment.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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