Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

1. 90'

   Not a bit of it. the goal prompted a ten minute spell when Palace equalised and could, or indeed should, have taken the lead. After that it was a terrific game which could have gone either way but credit to Palace for some blood and guts defending. Points shared was a fair result and Arsenal's troubles continue; the Eagles, though 13 places below the Gunners, are soaring.

2. 90'

   Crystal Palace set their stall out to defend first and then try and spring something and, to an extent, it worked. Arsenal struggled to break them down but when they finally did it looked like they would easy home from there.

3. 90'

   And then comes the only whistle that counts. referee Mike Dean brings to an end a cracking game of football with the scores level. 1-1 the final score.

4. 90'

   Whistles raining down from stands in (nearly) every part of the ground now.

5. 90'

   Scrappy stuff now in the middle of the pitch as the Palace players hassle and haryy their opponents desperately trying to preserve what would be a hard won point.

6. 89'

   Palace punt a ball into the crowd and they don't give it back. Arsene Wenger is required to dig out the second match ball and punt it onto the pitch. His urgency in doing so betrays his fustrations.

7. 88'

   Dangerous looking cross from Reyes just eludes Henry but not Popovic who heads well clear.

8. 87'

   How many times? Flamini, with time, tries to thread a delicate ball through the Palace defence. Fat chance when there are ten men in and around the box.

9. 86'

   Slip by Cole allows johnson to break clear of the Arsenal defence on the right. Freedman is unmarked in the centre but a glorious chance goes begging as first Freedman gets ahead of Johnson in an offside position and second Toure sticks out a leg to meet the ball before Freedman anyway.

10. 85'

    Riihilahti, who has been a bundle of energy all afternoon, is wrongly penalised for a tackle on Vieira in the middle of the pitch.

11. 83'

    First Vieira and then Reyes waste Arsenal ball around the Palace box simply due to running out of space.

12. 82'

    Kakis rides his luck and a couple fo tackles deep in his own half before sending a fine ball forward for Johnson to chase. He had just one thing on his mind as he bore down on Toure from the right wing. Dropped a shoulder but Toure wasn't fooled and tackled him strongly.

13. 81'

    Kiraly called into action again. A hopeful ball forward caused Popovic a few problems but he was bailed out by his keeper coming off his line smartly to take control.

14. 80'

    Lofted angled ball up to Begkamp in space on the right corner of the box tempts him to hit a first time side footed swing at it. On target but no pace and easy for Kiraly.

15. 79'

    Both sides make a change. for Arsenal it is Fabregas for Flamini; for Palace, Kolkka for Freedman.

16. 78'

    Palace winning as much of the midfield battle as their opponents but they still take a touch too long to break forward due to sitting deep.

17. 76'

    After a rather dour, workman like first half this game has burst into life and the final fifteen minutes promise to be compelling.

18. 75'

    Van Persie turned away from the combined attentions of Riihilahti and Popovic to fire a blistering strike to the far corner of Kiraly's goal but the Palce stopper is alert and agile enough to fling himself to his right and make a fine one handed save.

19. 74'

    Another opening carved out by Hughes and Watson puts Hughes into acres of space from which to measure a cross. Before anyone can get too excited the linesman's flag is raised.

20. 73'

    great passing move involving Bergkamp and Henry sets up reyes for a snap shot from the corner of the box. Riihilahti perhaps did enough to put him off as he got under it too much and missed the target.

21. 72'

    bergkamp's first contribution is to miscontrol on the right and allow a simple ball go out of play. The home crowd loved that.

22. 70'

    Arsenal take action. Off go Pires and Ljungberg and on come the double Dutch; Bergkamp and Van Persie.

23. 69'

    Goals change games and after Arsenal went ahead it has been Palaces game. An attacking verve has been dug out and this one really could go either way.

24. 68'

    At the other end a 20 yard piledriver is well held by a diving Kiraly.

25. 67'

    Still Palace come and, in truth, they should be in front by now. Johnson, revitalised by the change in the game, won the ball and span out to the right. From there he dinked in an inch perfect ball that dropped to the feet of Lakis, charging in at pace and all alone. From no more than 4 yards out a rush of blood meant he skied it. Really, really good chance gone begging.

Leaders

CRYARS

Total Shots

Aki Riihilahti

1

José Antonio Reyes

5

Saves

Gabor Kiraly

8

Jens Lehmann

1