An immensely poor Arsenal lacking much of their firepower and any creativity on the field slipped up 2-3 against a resilient and well organised Crystal Palace at the Emirates. Owing to awful defending, a dodgy team selection as well as key midfielders missing out on the game, the Premier League top 4 race now intensifies. 
Unai Emery made five changes in his Arsenal side which won 1-0 at Watford last week, while notable players in Aaron Ramsey, who will probably be out for the remainder of the season, and Granit Xhaka, who was exempted from playing as an injury precaution despite being in full training with the squad, missed out on the game.
The visitors took an early lead via Christian Benteke in the 17th minute, scoring his first Premier League goal this season, and his first in over 90 games for Palace.
Forward Wilfried Zaha, who is expected to move out of Selhurst Park in the summer, doubled the visitors’ lead after defying a silly dodging attempt by a poor Shkodran Mustafi, making it 0-2 at the break.
Emery’s best options for the game came as half time substitutions in Alex Iwobi and Ainsely Maitland-Niles, which led to Mesut Ozil open the scoring for the Gunners just two minutes into the second half, before James McArthur knocked the third one past Bernd Leno, who was arguably the best Arsenal player on the field.
Arsenal attempted a final comeback after striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang slotted one home after a solo run, but that was just about it for the home side, taking his tally to 19 PL goals, joint at the top with Sergio Aguero and Mohammed Salah.
Arsenal failed to pick up any points from tonight’s crucial game and go above rivals Tottenham Hotspur into the third position, after Manchester United lost 4-0 at Everton and Spurs slipped up 1-0 at Manchester City.
