Arsenal are on a ten-game win streak at the moment and are one of the most in-form teams in the country while Crystal Palace suffered a crushing loss yesterday against Everton.
After a tough start to the season, Arsenal have begun to put together some form and due to the potent attacking duo of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the Gunners now sit fourth in the table.
Crystal Palace, however, have suffered a fairly poor start to the season and after losing to Everton the south London club now sits 15th in the table despite the exploits of star man Wilfried Zaha.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
After establishing himself as one of the most potent strikers in Europe, Arsenal signed the Gabon international in January in a £56 million deal and it’s been so far so good for the former Borussia Dortmund striker.
The electric striker scored 10 goals in 13 games in his first season for the club and so far this season he’s scored four in eight. Impressively for the Gabonese forward, he’s played mostly as a winger this season due to Lacazette’s superb form through the middle.
As we all know, Aubameyang’s pace is incredible but his ability to finish has been superb as you’d expect from a forward that’s scored 141 goals in 213 for Dortmund.
In the long run, it’s difficult to say how long the forward will be happy with playing on the wing but so far, he’s proved to be an excellent piece of business.
TT Grade: A
Wilfried Zaha
A product of the Crystal Palace academy, Zaha has proven to be a star man for the south London club since he returned from his torrid spell at Manchester United.
The winger was a key man in Palace’s playoff run in the 2012/13 season, but he couldn’t quite translate that to his time in Manchester.
Signed for an initial £3 million after a successful loan spell with his old club, it took the attacker some time to settle back into his old team but in the last few years, he’s emerged as one of the most talented players in the Premier League. Last season, he had his best year for the club as he scored nine goals in 29 games and this year he’s scored three in eight.
Such is his influence on the team, that they’re fate remains solely on the performance of the Ivory Coast international.
TT Grade: A-
The Verdict
Zaha’s impact on Crystal Palace is undeniable. The tricky winger has the talent to be a star in the league and can win a game on his own – as we’ve seen recently. At 25, he’ll soon be entering his prime but as of yet, he just isn’t playing at the consistent level that Aubameyang is.
Given Aubameyang’s recent record and performances of late, he wins this one, although Palace’s deal for the winger looks like it could be an absolute steal.
