PALACE ARE NEARLY THROUGH! Koscielny's clearance bounces off the leg of Zaha, who then has a free run on goal, only to get challenged at the last by Gabriel before he can tee up Adebayor!
90'
Into stoppage time now and Palace continue to throw men forward when in possession. It's leading to a real back-and-forth tempo as Arsenal desperately try to avoid another disappointing result.
88'
Palace are showing great endeavour late on as they feel the chance to snatch the points. Bolasie gets the better of Monreal out wide after a considerable tussle, but his cross can't find a team-mate.
86'
Koscielny plants a header into the arms of Hennessey as another Arsenal chance goes begging. What will the reaction from the already testy Emirates be at the full-time whistle?
84'
T. Walcott enters the game and replaces Mohamed Elneny.
Walcott is thrown on late on for Elneny as Arsenal chase a winner.
83'
Wenger faced some criticism after suggesting he was ready to keep Ospina in the starting XI for this game but opted for his regular No.1 Cech instead, who has now let in an entirely stoppable equaliser. Arsenal just can't win these days.
81'
Y. Bolasie has scored a goal for Crystal Palace! Assist by E. Adebayor.
BOLASIE HAS TIED IT UP! Out of nowhere, Palace are level, after he shifts past Coquelin on the edge of the box and drilled in a low effort that Cech really should have been saving at his near post.
And look who registered the assist.
80'
Ramsey lifts a ball onto the head of Giroud, who then plays Monreal in. The pass was calling for a first-time hammer, but the full-back takes a touch and whips in a cross instead, which has too much on it for any of his team-mates.
79'
RIGHT AT THE GOALKEEPER! Somehow, Bellerin manages to get a cross into the near post, where Giroud is waiting, but the big striker's weak finish is straight into the arms of the waiting Hennessey.
77'
CECH CALLED INTO ACTION! A corner from Cabaye finds Sako, but his header is no match for the keeper, who diverts it over the bar! You can sense the nerves in the stands whenever Palace have an attack.
Minute
Description
75'
A. Ramsey enters the game and replaces A. Iwobi.
O. Giroud enters the game and replaces D. Welbeck.
W. Zaha enters the game and replaces J. Puncheon.
Final substitution for Palace, as Puncheon makes way for Zaha, who is booed slightly due to his prior Manchester United connections.
Giroud has been introduced in place of Welbeck for the last 15 minutes or so.
Iwobi is withdrawn for Ramsey in the first of three changes from both managers combined.
73'
S. Dann gets yellow.
Dann is carded for a late challenge on Welbeck.
Bellerin feeds Alexis on the overlap, and the Chilean shows great speed to catch up to the ball, but Hennessey is able to smother his eventual cut-back. Less than 20 minutes to go now.
71'
Still no telling where this game will end. A smart gambler might put their money on Arsenal getting a second before Palace put themselves on the board, but based on the Gunners' recent wobbles, anything is possible.
69'
Bellerin's scooped cross goes over the head of Welbeck and Alexis, but falls kindly for Monreal on the far side. However, with defenders closing him down, the full-back lashes his shot into a crowd.
67'
NARROWLY WIDE! Once again, Ozil creates the danger from a set-piece, curling a free-kick onto the head of Alexis, who glances it for the far corner but is a few inches off, with Hennessey at full stretch.
65'
Ozil's set-pieces have caused a fair bit of problems in this game, and another delivery from a dead ball finds Welbeck, who is denied by Hennessey from close range. Decent opening, that.
64'
E. Adebayor enters the game and replaces C. Wickham.
Adebayor is on to a typically frosty reception, and Wickham goes off.
63'
It's been more even in the second half, with Palace only chasing a goal. Arsenal have been far from their best, but to concede at this stage would be bitterly disappointing for them.
61'
Should Arsenal hold onto this win, then they will move above Manchester City into third place, three points behind Tottenham. Not the end that the fans would have hoped for though.
59'
NOT TOO FAR OFF! Ozil whips a lovely effort from the free-kick beyond the wall, but past the post. The ball rustled into the back of the net from the wrong side, fooling many fans into thinking that it was in.
57'
J. Ledley gets yellow.
Ledley fails to get the better of Alexis fairly, and uses his arm to tug back the Chilean. That leads to a free-kick in a good position for Arsenal, and a yellow card for the Palace defender.
56'
Boos erupt around sections of the Emirates as Adebayor is sent to do his warm-up on the sidelines by Pardew. The Palace manager did hint at a role for the striker in this game - pantomime villain perhaps?
54'
Welbeck shows incredible stamina to catch up to a long ball over the top, and he links with Iwobi, who releases the ex-Man Utd man with a succinct back-heel. However, the striker goes for goal from an angle where a cross seemed the only logical option. Hennessey smothers it.
52'
WIDE OF THE TARGET! Iwobi has done well to facilitate some moves today, but when it comes to finishing them, he still has a long way to go. A free header from close range is sent wide after he gets on the end of Coquelin's cross.
50'
Disappointment from the Arsenal fans as Bellerin fails to find a team-mate inside the area despite being in a good position to do so deep on the right-hand side. More composure needed.
48'
Arsenal make a good start to the second half, trying to get that killer second goal which would provide them with a significant cushion. Welbeck has a shot blocked, before Bellerin sees a cross cleared.
46'
B. Sako enters the game and replaces M. Jedinak.
Jedinak has been withdrawn for Sako at the break.
Here we go again.
45' +1
A. Sánchez has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by D. Welbeck.
Good awareness from Welbeck to feed Alexis there.
ALEXIS MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! Arsenal have taken the lead on the cusp of half-time, with the Chilean running onto a clever pass from Welbeck to head beyond the onrushing Hennessey.
43'
Hennessey is finally called into action as he comes off his line to confront Ozil, who was about to convert a cheeky pass from Alexis. That's the first shot on target for Arsenal, I believe.
41'
Dann gets involved in a challenge with Gabriel, which has put the Palace defender in a bit of pain. It appears that he'll soldier out the rest of the half and be assessed in more detail at the break.
39'
JUST WIDE! Alexis takes charge of a free-kick, with Ozil acting as a decoy. The Chilean bends an effort which takes a slight nick off the Palace wall. which sends it the wrong side of the post!
37'
Koscielny gets a good header on an Ozil corner, but it goes wide of the mark. Moments later, Welbeck loses his footing under pressure outside the area, with Alexis' run going untapped.
35'
This has been quite a frustrating half of football if you're an Arsenal fan, with the all-too-familiar story of possession without penetration. Palace will be pleased with how they've managed to curtail their threat so far.
33'
POOR DECISION MAKING. Coquelin wins the ball back and finds Alexis in acres of space, with Delaney out of position. However, he makes the bizarre choice to hack a low cross into the area, which is easily cleared.
31'
Ozil has put forth a few lovely balls on this game, as he tends to do. His latest one finds Alexis charging down the right, but the Chilean can't bookend that with a cross to a team-mate.
29'
Giroud may be terribly out of form and going through his longest league goal drought as an Arsenal player, but you can't help but feel that his superior hold-up play would be a better option than Welbeck's mobility against this deep defensive line.
27'
Arsenal have seen 80 per cent of the ball in the opening half, but it's Crystal Palace who have managed the only shot on target thus far. There needs to be more variation in the Gunners attack.
25'
The referee trips over Monreal to elicit some friendly laughter from the supporters. Moments later Alexis, who has been very quiet in the midst of all this Arsenal possession, is muscled off the ball in a good position.
23'
The pressure remains concentrated around the Palace penalty area, but Hennessey remains largely untested. The visitors have already ahd one decent counter and will have hope that other such chances will appear as Arsenal continue to attack.
21'
OVER THE BAR! Elneny gets a square pass and doesn't hesitate to let fly from long range, but it's well off. With Palace sitting so deep, those type of shooting opportunities will present themselves, and the former Basel man has already proven his prowess from distance.
19'
From the corner, Cech comes out in traffic and gets his left hand on it, but Crystal Palace keep it alive, with Souare swinging another ball in for Dann, who gets his head on it but can't direct it on target.
17'
Moment of panic for Arsenal as Bolasie beats Gabriel to a ball down the flank, and sprays in a cross looking for Wickham. However, Coquelin clears for a corner with his chest.
15'
Not much of an atmosphere here at the Emirates to start this game, with Pardew's booming instructions being clearly heard from the touchline. No real chances as yet either, despite all the possession.
13'
t's all very lovely and intricate from Arsenal on the edge of the Palace box, but no one really wants to take the initiative to take the killer pass or strike. It ends up out wide with Elneny, whose cross is caught by Hennessey.
11'
Elneny and Ozil both have crosses repelled from the right-hand side as Arsenal continue to try to probe a way through. Moments earlier, Alexis made his first contribution of the game with a blocked shot.
9'
Crystal Palace are doing well to squeeze out Arsenal when it comes to releasing the final pass, but the problem for the visitors is that they simply can't keep a hold of the ball once they win it.
7'
It's been almost uninterrupted Arsenal possession since the first whistle, as the Gunners try to pick the lock of the visiting defence, which is sitting very deep to prevent runners from getting in behind.
5'
Ozil pulls a peach of a pass out of thin air for Welbeck to chase, and had the striker produced a better first touch, then he would have been through on Hennessey, who can smother instead.
3'
Arsenal showing plenty of intricate passing to keep the ball under pressure in tight areas. However, they eventually run out of room towards the near post and the keeper can take control.
1'
We're off!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Premier League match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates. The Gunners look set for another disappointing league finish after a campaign that initially promised so much, while the visitors, relegation fears eased, are now looking to secure a respectable league finish. Stick with us for all the action.
League wins against Everton and Watford seemed to signal a late surge for the Gunners, but a 3-3 draw against West Ham, where they let a two-goal lead slip, was the last straw for their title challenge. Some would argue that it was over weeks before, but the math at this point is damning - two games in hand on Leicester, but 14 points to make up and only six matches left to do so. Catching second-place Tottenham, who are five points ahead, would appear to be the end-game for Arsenal's season.
Since losing to league-leaders Leicester a month ago, Crystal Palace have gone on a four-match unbeaten run which has seen them clear of the relegation zone by eight points. The Eagles have put up a decent defensive record despite their lowly status in the table, with only eight teams conceding less than their mark of 42 goals. They need only seven points from their remaining five games to mathematically ensure safety.
Arsenal have won 10 and lost just one of their last 13 games against Crystal Palace, including winning the last six in a row - and the last three by a score of 2-1. The Eagles also haven't won in their last seven trips away from Selhurst Park.
Arsenal subs: Mertesacker, Ospina, Giroud, Walcott, Ramsey, Chambers, Campbell.
Arsene Wenger makes only one change from the 3-3 draw with West Ham. After hinting that David Ospina could continue in goal, he decides to recall Petr Cech once again. Danny Welbeck is again preferred to the out-of-form Olivier Giroud up front.
Joe Ledley and Connor Wickham come in for Wilfried Zaha and Dwight Gayle respectively, with former Gunners striker Emmanuel Adebayor on the bench for Palace.
And that will do it for now from the Emirates, with Alexis giving the home fans something to celebrate heading into the break. His goal separates the sides here in a match where the Gunners have promised much, but threatened little. Palace are still in this, so stay tuned for the second half to find out if they can find a way back.
That's it from the Emirates, and underachievement again from Arsenal, who let in a late leveller after dominating most of the game but failing to create enough chances. It's an all-too-familiar story for the Gunners, who stay fourth in the table. A great result for Palace and Pardew, who played his cards exactly right. That's all the time we've got, thanks for tuning in!
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