Arsenal’s Late Collapse Hands Liverpool Title Boost in 2-2 Draw

• Apr 24, 2025

Arsenal missed a key chance to stay in the Premier League title race after a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace. The result now leaves Liverpool just one point away from clinching the championship, which they can secure with a draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The match at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night started brightly for Arsenal. Jakub Kiwior gave the home side an early lead in the third minute with a strong header from a Martin Ødegaard free-kick. Crystal Palace responded in the 27th minute when Eberechi Eze volleyed in a rebound after the ball had bounced off the post.

Arsenal regained the lead just before the halftime whistle. Leandro Trossard found the net, putting the Gunners ahead 2-1. But despite the advantage, Arsenal couldn’t hold on. In the 83rd minute, Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a stunning equalizer for Palace, chipping the ball over goalkeeper David Raya from outside the box.

It was the ninth time this season that Arsenal dropped points after taking the lead—a statistic that continues to undermine their title hopes. The result left them in second place with 67 points, while Liverpool remain top with 79 points from 33 games.

After the game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was clearly disappointed. “We dropped our standards today; credit to Crystal Palace,” he said. “We struggled to find consistency and gave the ball away too easily.” He also pointed to the team’s injury issues, saying, “We have so many players out, and we need to do much better.”

Trossard echoed his manager’s frustrations. “The quality today wasn’t there compared to our last game,” he said, stressing the need for improvement before their Champions League semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain next week.

On the other side, Palace manager Oliver Glasner praised his team’s determination. “The reaction was amazing today,” he said. “We scored amazing goals and I’m proud of the players. We need to keep this energy going into the FA Cup semi-final.”

Palace now turn their focus to Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa, while Arsenal must regroup quickly for their European campaign. The Premier League title may be slipping away, but the Gunners still have silverware to fight for.