Crystal Palace 3-0 Arsenal: 3 talking points from horror night

Tierney & Partey Injury Nightmare

Something that Arteta and Arsenal could not afford in the final run-in was injuries. Well, they suffered a hammer blow tonight; they got two.

First they lost Kieran Tierney to a serious knee injury that, according to some reports, has ended his season. To make matters worse, Partey couldn’t continue with a thigh problem in the build-up to Zaha’s penalty, so much so that the Ghanaian could not even track back to help his teammates.

"Arteta on Partey: “He felt something in the same area that he got injured previously, so [we are a] bit concerned.” Arteta on Tierney: “He is seeing the specialist tomorrow and we will know more the extent of the injury. But the feeling that he had it wasn’t really positive and what the scans showed either, but we have to wait and see what happens.”"

Losing two mainstays is a cruel blow to Arsenal’s top-four chances, and with Nuno being substituted at half-time, just who will start at left-back now remains to be seen. Granit Xhaka was deployed there for the second half but coming up against Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham, that can not be the case.

This was always going to be something that could bite Arsenal in the backside given their lack of activity in the January transfer window. One sorry night in London has the potential to undo all of the team’s good work up until now.

Many will be hoping that Partey’s injury is not severe, however; given his past and the fact he could barely walk, does not bode well for Arsenal. It being the same area he’s injured previously compounds the issue.

If there was any one player Arsenal couldn’t afford to lose, it was him. And, just like last season, the loss of a left-back could risk everything coming crumbling down.

This is ‘bad’.