Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: 3 Key Battles

Hector Bellerin vs Wilfried Zaha

This is the area of the pitch that will have supporters biting their fingernails. While it doesn’t matter who plays at full-back, Hector Bellerin‘s…fragility, shall we say, at defending in transition is precisely where Wilfried Zaha will look to have joy.

The Ivorian is well on course to have his best individual season to date, with eight goals already leaving him just two shy of his tally from 2018/19. Part of the reason for his improvements this term have been due to a change of position, as he now finds himself lining up as a striker alongside Christian Benteke.

In the centre-forward role he’s been relinquished of many of his defensive duties, where his energy can be primarily dispersed giving defenders nightmares.

For any forward, choosing between one of Kieran Tierney or Bellerin to attack will be an easy option. The Scot is in magnificent form, and while Bellerin is valuable member of the squad, especially in an attacking sense, he is the weaker defender in transition of the pair.

Generally speaking Bellerin has defended well this season, it’s only that moments such as Aston Villa at home have been amplified to such a point that they’re used as a blanket example of his entire season. That isn’t true.

It doesn’t mean this particular battle doesn’t cause concern. Running at his own goal is where Bellerin is at his weakest. Should be contain, or at least lessen Zaha’s impact on the night then Arsenal will be well placed to secure three points.