Match ends, Crystal Palace 2, Arsenal 2.
Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace2ArsenalArsenal2
Crystal Palace captain Luka Milivojevic scored twice from the penalty spot to earn his side a dramatic draw and end Arsenal's 11-game winning run.
The Serb smashed in a late equaliser after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's controversial goal had put the visitors ahead after the break.
Milivojevic scored the opener in the first half after Shkodran Mustafi brought down Cheikhou Kouyate.
Granit Xhaka's sublime free-kick had drawn Arsenal level at 1-1.
Wilfried Zaha was brought down by Xhaka in the box with seven minutes to go and Milivojevic drilled his spot-kick into Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno's right corner, having also beaten him on that side in the first half.
Earlier in the second half, the ball appeared to brush Alexandre Lacazette's hand before it fell at the back post to Aubameyang, who poked home off the inside of the post - with the ball going over the line by just 9mm.
Before his error in bringing down Zaha to give away the late penalty, Xhaka's stunning curler had cancelled out Milivojevic's opener - which was Palace's first goal at home this season.
Zaha also hit the outside of the post before the break, while Andros Townsend dragged a shot wide.
Palace substitute Max Meyer struck over the bar from close range later in the second half and Alex Iwobi's deflected shot flew wide.
Arsenal remain fourth in the Premier League table, a point behind Manchester City, while Palace move up to 14th and three points above the relegation zone.
Nerves of steel from Milivojevic
Palace had to wait three months for their first goal at Selhurst Park this season - before Milivojevic provided two against one of the most in-form teams in the league.
Last week, Jordan Pickford had denied him from the spot in their 2-0 defeat by Everton, but this time Milivojevic held his nerve to ensure Palace did not finish empty-handed against Arsenal.
The skipper has now scored 11 of his past 13 penalties for Palace and it was the first time he had netted since scoring against Bournemouth in April.
His first goal for Crystal Palace was also a penalty against Arsenal, in their 3-0 home win in April 2017.
Winning run comes to an end
Arsenal missed an opportunity to move into third place as Manchester City and Tottenham do not face each other until Monday (20:00 GMT kick-off).
The result also meant their impressive winning streak came to an end.
Gunners manager Unai Emery's request for a quicker start to the game was not met - and it was Palace who deservedly led at half-time.
But Arsenal's intensity increased in familiar fashion after the break and they thought they had completed the comeback and won all three points when Aubameyang's effort just crossed the line.
Lacazette's main involvement in the game was the build-up to that goal. His performance was disappointing and his only shot was a scuffed effort from the edge of the box.
But strike partner Aubameyang continued to provide a threat - he has now been directly involved in 22 goals in his 23 Premier League appearances for Arsenal.
Palace denied the Gunners victory but Emery's side are still just four points off the top and unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions.
Slow out of the blocks - the best of the stats
- Crystal Palace's opening goal from Milivojevic ended a run of 417 minutes without scoring a league goal at home.
- 75% of Arsenal's Premier League goals this season have come in the second half (18 of 24).
- Since the start of last season, Crystal Palace have won more penalties (13) and scored more penalties (10) in the Premier League than any other side.
- Since the start of 2016-17, Arsenal have conceded more penalties (18) and goals from penalties (17) in the league than any other team.
- Crystal Palace midfielder Milivojevic has taken the most (11) and scored the most (nine) penalties in the Premier League since the start of 2017-18.
- Since the start of 2014-15, only Jamie Vardy (13) has won more penalties in the Premier League than Crystal Palace's Zaha (11 - level with Raheem Sterling).
- Arsenal have not been leading a game at half-time in the league this season.
- All five of Xhaka's Premier League goals for the Gunners have come from outside the box.
'It was tough to concede' - view from the bosses
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson to BBC Sport: "I'm not even happy to end up with one point especially when you see how clear the handball was. It was tough to concede an equaliser after working so hard for the 1-0 lead.
"I thought the attitude of the players and the way we got in control of the game again after going behind, it was a very deserved equaliser. I'm very happy with the performance; I'm just a bit sad it didn't give us the three points."
Arsenal manager Unai Emery on Sky Sports: "I am disappointed with the result but our work is good. We drew, it's not bad, it's better to win but looking at the game in 90 minutes it is a deserved result.
"Two penalties against us in the box is a difficult action for the defence. Xhaka is playing left-back, he is better in the middle. I will say to him nothing (about giving away the penalty)."
Man of the match - Luka Milivojevic
What's next?
Arsenal next play in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, taking on Blackpool at Emirates Stadium (19:45 GMT), while Palace travel to Middlesbrough on the same evening (20:00).
Palace return to Premier League action when go to Chelsea on Sunday (16:00). The Gunners host league leaders Liverpool on Saturday (17:30).
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Hennessey
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 5Tomkins
- 12Sakho
- 3van Aanholt
- 10Townsend
- 8KouyatéSubstituted forPuncheonat 88'minutes
- 4Milivojevic
- 18McArthurSubstituted forMeyerat 61'minutes
- 14J AyewBooked at 8minsSubstituted forSørlothat 64'minutes
- 11Zaha
Substitutes
- 7Meyer
- 9Sørloth
- 15Schlupp
- 31Guaita
- 34Kelly
- 42Puncheon
- 44Riedewald
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 19Leno
- 2BellerÃnSubstituted forLichtsteinerat 45'minutesBooked at 79mins
- 20Mustafi
- 16Holding
- 34Xhaka
- 11Torreira
- 29GuendouziBooked at 90mins
- 17Iwobi
- 10ÖzilSubstituted forWelbeckat 68'minutes
- 14AubameyangSubstituted forRamseyat 78'minutes
- 9Lacazette
Substitutes
- 1Cech
- 5Papastathopoulos
- 7Mkhitaryan
- 8Ramsey
- 12Lichtsteiner
- 23Welbeck
- 55Smith-Rowe
- Referee:
- Martin Atkinson
- Attendance:
- 25,718
Match Stats
Home TeamCrystal PalaceAway TeamArsenal
- Possession
- Home42%
- Away58%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away16
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 2, Arsenal 2.
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Offside, Crystal Palace. Luka Milivojevic tries a through ball, but James Tomkins is caught offside.
Booking
Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal).
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Max Meyer (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Lucas Torreira (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace).
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Attempt missed. Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
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Lucas Torreira (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace).
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jason Puncheon replaces Cheikhou Kouyaté because of an injury.
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Attempt missed. Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Luka Milivojevic.
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Foul by Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal).
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Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Crystal Palace 2, Arsenal 2. Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
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Penalty conceded by Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) after a foul in the penalty area.
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Penalty Crystal Palace. Wilfried Zaha draws a foul in the penalty area.
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Foul by Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal).
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Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Comments
Join the conversation
Palace will do fine if they keep playing like that though. Roy seems to really get the players going when it counts and 2 goals at home should help you push on. Good luck.
I am going to the Liverpool game and we need to play better to get a result. It will be interesting to see how far our team has progressed under Unai
"dived for penalty"
"need better officials"
Yes let's blame the officials while players dive and cheat every game. Or .... ban the cheats!
Few other sports tolerate cheating again and again and again. So why does football?
Kouyaté smacked Xhaka round the face and not even a yellow.
Zaha dived over the defenders leg.
Defend it how you like but it's still cheating.
Top 4 is target this season, anything more is bonus. Let's get behind the team and support every player including Iwobi, Laca who were poor today.
No more divided Arsenal, we are ONE Arsenal. Let's cheer them on whatever happens.
The problem with the zaha penalty is the defender sticks a stiff leg out allowing zaha to go over it. I'm not saying it's right but forwards have been buying penalties like this since the premier started. I think it's just poor defending from a non- defender.
..you sound as if opposing teams should not bother turning up and award your wonderful brilliant team the three points plus ten goals, as a matter of fact in recent years Palace have played very well at home against your brilliant fantastic out of this world team ..if you'd actually been bothered to be at the said games you would've known that wouldn't you?
He was a fantastic player in his day and I'm sure everyone at Arsenal and Palace would echo this.